Cyprus would activate established public-health protocols if a suspected Ebola case were identified on the island, epidemiologist Dr Petros Karayiannis told the Cyprus News Agency, amid the latest outbreak in central Africa.
Asked how authorities would respond to a possible imported case, Dr Karayiannis said protocols used in the past remain in place and would be followed. He noted that the Health Ministry may have updated those procedures, but stressed that the key priorities would be the immediate isolation of the patient and strict biosecurity measures to protect medical staff and the wider public.
The aim, he said, would be to prevent any further spread.
How Ebola is transmitted
Dr Karayiannis said transmission occurs only through very close contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, including saliva, tears, urine, faeces and blood.
In the later stages of the disease, he said, patients may develop small haemorrhages, which is why these viruses are associated with haemorrhagic fevers.
Outside central Africa, where outbreaks occur from time to time, any case would be imported, he added. This would involve a person who had travelled to affected countries and carried the virus outside Africa.
“This is where we need to be careful,” Dr Karayiannis said, adding that people arriving from affected countries should undergo a detailed assessment of where they travelled and whether they may have been exposed.
Current outbreak appears more serious
Dr Karayiannis said the current outbreak appears to be more serious than some previous ones.
He said the strain responsible for the latest outbreak has caused one or two outbreaks in the past and is associated with more aggressive disease.
According to the World Health Organization, the current outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus. There is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for this virus, although early supportive care can be life-saving.
Dr Karayiannis said patient management therefore depends on the symptoms presented by each case.
Prevention remains the priority
At this stage, he said, prevention is crucial. This includes informing the public in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, where cases have been reported, about what they should avoid.
He also underlined the need for doctors and nurses treating suspected or confirmed cases to use single-use protective equipment, including protective suits, gloves and masks, in a way that protects them and prevents onward transmission of the virus.
Source: CNA
