Country recorded at least three deaths and four sick people
Guinea has declared a new Ebola outbreak after registering at least three deaths and four sick people in the south-east of the country. This is the first time that the disease has reappeared since the worst Ebola outbreak in the world, between 2013 and 2016.
The seven patients manifested symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding after participating in a wake at Goueke’s subprefecture. Those who did not suffer from the disease were isolated in treatment centers, according to the local Ministry of Health.
It was unclear whether the veiled person on February 1 also died of Ebola. She was a nurse at a local health center and died after contracting an unspecified illness. The patient was even transferred for treatment in Nzerekore, a city near the border with Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
“In view of this situation and in accordance with international health regulations, the government of Guinea declares an Ebola epidemic,” said Health Minister Remy Lamah, in a statement.
The Ebola outbreak recorded between 2013 and 2016 in West Africa started in Nzerekore. The proximity to the busy borders has hampered efforts to contain the virus. In total, the disease has killed at least 11,300 people, with most cases identified in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
