Zambia: Nation On High Ebola Alert

MEDICAL personnel, especially at border posts, have been placed on high alert to monitor the travelling public in an effort to prevent the deadly Ebola virus from entering Zambia.

The Ministry of Health has further advised medical personnel to be on alert by monitoring any symptoms that could be related to the virus.

The disease has broken out in Uganda where it has so far claimed several lives.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Kamoto Mbewe said in a statement yesterday that medical professionals, especially at border posts, had been placed on alert to monitor people coming from Uganda.

Dr Mbewe said although there had been no cases of Ebola in Zambia, the ministry had put in place precautionary measures to monitor the disease.

"There is absolutely no reason for apprehension or panic as everything is under control," Dr Mbewe said.

Ebola is a viral disease which causes fever and bleeding and is transmitted by close person-to-person contact and by contact with a patient's body fluids like blood, vomit and sweat.

Once a person comes into contact with a patient, it may take a period of between two to 21 days before they fall ill.

The symptoms include fever, general body weakness, muscle aches and pain, headaches and sore throat.

The symptoms may be followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rash, internal bleeding and bleeding from the nose, mouth and gums.