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Guinea declares Ebola 'epidemic' after three confirmed deaths

WION Web Team
GuineaUpdated: Feb 15, 2021, 08:35 AM IST
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Ebola in Guinea Photograph:(Reuters)

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The patients who have tested for the virus ad showed symptoms of hemorrhagic fever

The pandemic has not yet ended, with new strains being identified, but things are not getting any better in this world. Now, Guinea has declared an 'epidemic' situation as the country has recorded at least three deaths and seven cases of the Ebola virus.

"Very early this morning, the Conakry laboratory confirmed the presence of the Ebola virus," declared Sakoba Keita, head of Guinea's National Health Security Agency, after an emergency meeting.

The west African country had earlier, in 2013-2016 faced a similar deadly epidemic which had taken nearly 11,300 lives due to the deadly virus. 

Now, the reported deaths are the first ones since 2016. In addition to this, five more cases have been observed in the Gueckedou town in Guinea's south region.

The patients who have tested for the virus ad showed symptoms of hemorrhagic fever. Meanwhile, all individuals who came in contact with the infected people have been put under isolation, officials reported.

Seven patients, four men and three women had tested positive after attending the funeral of a nurse who had died from the same disease, health officials of Guinea reported.

"The nurse was probably infected from a patient," said Keita. "We are looking for that patient now."

These cases have been declared almost a week after eastern Congo confirmed Ebola cases in the country. However, till now, no link has been established between the cases of the two regions.

Earlier, the country's health minister had apparently reported four deaths, which later turned to three in the official tally. The reason and authenticity behind this have not been cleared yet.