24-06-2014
Vietnam's Ministry of Health will require all
passengers entering Vietnam from nine Middle East countries to fill in a
medical declaration form at airports from July 1.
This is part of measures to cope with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that has caused an increasing number of fatalities around the world.
Deputy Head of the ministry's Department of Preventive Medicine Tran Dac Phu said at an online meeting on disease prevention and control yesterday that there was a high risk the coronavirus could enter Vietnam from the Middle East.
He said Vietnam was so far free of the disease.
The declaration form will apply to those arriving from Saudi Arabia, Qata, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan and Iran.
The forms will be available at Vietnam's three international airports, Tan Son Nhat in HCM City, Noi Bai in Ha Noi and Da Nang in the central city of Da Nang.
Centres for Health Quarantine in the same three cities will distribute the forms to passengers from the Middle East.
Health quarantine staff will examine the declaration forms. If any passengers have fever, are coughing or have breathing difficulties, health workers will request them to stay in isolation.
According to the World Health Organisation statistics, by June 16, about 700 people from 22 Middle East nations had been diagnosed with MERS-CoV, including 249 deaths.
MERS is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV.
Most people who have the infection develop severe acute respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing and shortness of breath. http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-61620.html
-
From 0 hrs on 01.07.2014, at 3 international airports of Noi Bai, Da
Nang, and Tan Son Nhat will apply for medical declarations to all
passengers on entry to Vietnam flights derived from 9 countries in the
Middle East are circulating respiratory syndrome in the Middle East due
to corona virus (MERS-CoV) in time to prevent the disease from entering
Vietnam.
-
From 0 hrs on 01.07.2014, at 3 international airports of Noi Bai, Da
Nang, and Tan Son Nhat will apply for medical declarations to all
passengers on entry to Vietnam flights derived from 9 countries in the
Middle East are circulating respiratory syndrome in the Middle East due
to corona virus (MERS-CoV) in time to prevent the disease from entering
Vietnam.
-
From 0 hrs on 01.07.2014, at 3 international airports of Noi Bai, Da
Nang, and Tan Son Nhat will apply for medical declarations to all
passengers on entry to Vietnam flights derived from 9 countries in the
Middle East are circulating respiratory syndrome in the Middle East due
to corona virus (MERS-CoV) in time to prevent the disease from entering
Vietnam.
- See more at:
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/africa/sierra-leone/ebola-snakes-and-witchcraft-stopping-the-deadly-disease-in-its-tracks-in-west-africa-66215/#sthash.ljrmTqEt.dpuf
- See more at:
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/news-stories/africa/sierra-leone/ebola-snakes-and-witchcraft-stopping-the-deadly-disease-in-its-tracks-in-west-africa-66215/#sthash.ljrmTqEt.dpuf
This is part of measures to cope with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that has caused an increasing number of fatalities around the world.
Deputy Head of the ministry's Department of Preventive Medicine Tran Dac Phu said at an online meeting on disease prevention and control yesterday that there was a high risk the coronavirus could enter Vietnam from the Middle East.
He said Vietnam was so far free of the disease.
The declaration form will apply to those arriving from Saudi Arabia, Qata, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan and Iran.
The forms will be available at Vietnam's three international airports, Tan Son Nhat in HCM City, Noi Bai in Ha Noi and Da Nang in the central city of Da Nang.
Centres for Health Quarantine in the same three cities will distribute the forms to passengers from the Middle East.
Health quarantine staff will examine the declaration forms. If any passengers have fever, are coughing or have breathing difficulties, health workers will request them to stay in isolation.
According to the World Health Organisation statistics, by June 16, about 700 people from 22 Middle East nations had been diagnosed with MERS-CoV, including 249 deaths.
MERS is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV.
Most people who have the infection develop severe acute respiratory illness accompanied by fever, coughing and shortness of breath. http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-61620.html
Middle East flu, health declarations applied at 3 airports
-
From 0 hrs on 01.07.2014, at 3 international airports of Noi Bai, Da
Nang, and Tan Son Nhat will apply for medical declarations to all
passengers on entry to Vietnam flights derived from 9 countries in the
Middle East are circulating respiratory syndrome in the Middle East due
to corona virus (MERS-CoV) in time to prevent the disease from entering
Vietnam. Middle East flu, health declarations applied at 3 airports
-
From 0 hrs on 01.07.2014, at 3 international airports of Noi Bai, Da
Nang, and Tan Son Nhat will apply for medical declarations to all
passengers on entry to Vietnam flights derived from 9 countries in the
Middle East are circulating respiratory syndrome in the Middle East due
to corona virus (MERS-CoV) in time to prevent the disease from entering
Vietnam. Middle East flu, health declarations applied at 3 airports
-
From 0 hrs on 01.07.2014, at 3 international airports of Noi Bai, Da
Nang, and Tan Son Nhat will apply for medical declarations to all
passengers on entry to Vietnam flights derived from 9 countries in the
Middle East are circulating respiratory syndrome in the Middle East due
to corona virus (MERS-CoV) in time to prevent the disease from entering
Vietnam. Ebola, snakes and witchcraft: Stopping the deadly disease in its tracks in West Africa
Published: 24 June 2014 15:06 CET
By Cristina Estrada, IFRC
They call him by his surname, Konneh. His manners are
gentle and his voice calm. He is a volunteer with the Sierra Leone Red
Cross Society, always willing to help. Although he lives in Kenema, he
comes from Daru, one of the villages most affected by the Ebola virus
disease outbreak in Sierra Leone.
His uncle and his uncle’s wife have both died of Ebola.
First, they brought his uncle to Kenema, a two hour drive from Daru
where the treatment centre for Ebola patients is located. He died. Two
days later they brought his aunt. She also died. “His wife was a nurse.
My uncle got it from his wife,” Konneh says calmly. His cousin also
died.
“When health workers start dying from Ebola, the entire
health care system is affected. Doctors and nurses are afraid to go to
work or to treat patients, which is what we are seeing in Sierra Leone
at the moment,” says Amanda McClelland, senior emergency health officer
at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRC). “However, with proper training and by taking adequate
precautions, health care workers can safely treat Ebola patients. And it
is proven that the sooner treatment can start, the greater the chances
of survival.”
Most of the people affected by Ebola in Sierra Leone are
women as they are the ones who take care of sick family members and
relatives. They are also the ones who care for the body of a person who
has died, which is highly infectious if not dealt properly handled.
Overcoming fear, denial and stigma
“I’m scared. Ebola, it’s dangerous. People are saying Ebola
does not exist but I’ve seen it. I believe it exists,” Konneh says.
There is a lot of fear, denial and stigma attached to the highly
contagious disease, as it is the first time it has appeared in Sierra
Leone. Some communities are not letting authorities or humanitarian
actors enter, while many of those who may have come into contact with
the virus and need to be watched, disappear and are, therefore, unable
to be traced.
Some believe that Ebola is caused by witchcraft.
One of the most widespread stories related to the Ebola
outbreak is this: A woman in a village went on a journey and left at
home a box, instructing her husband not to open it. The husband opens
the box and finds a snake inside, which informs the husband not to
reveal his presence or else the snake will kill everyone in the village.
The husband does not heed the warning and spreads the word about the
snake’s presence. The snake goes on a killing spree.
Another story that has gained traction around Kenema is
that of the doctors in the isolation ward administering lethal
injections to people. In the eyes of villagers, this explains why people
never come back from the isolation centre.
“If people believe Ebola is real, we can control it. The
common people, the illiterate, they only believe in what they see,”
Konneh explains.
For those who do accept that Ebola is a real disease, they
believe it is fatal and, as a result, do not see the reason for seeking
healthcare when they have symptoms. However, to date, ten people have
survived Ebola and been discharged from the hospital in Kenema and are
back home with their families. “An increase in awareness raising and
outreach to communities will be effective in dispelling erroneous
stories and beliefs,” McClelland highlights. “Fighting stigma, changing
behaviour and seeking hospital care as soon as possible are the key
elements to fighting Ebola.”
At the age of 21, Konneh is no stranger to fatalities. He
joined the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society four years ago. His father, a
regional imam who played an important role in his village, was taken and
killed during a time of conflict, along with his grandfather. “The Red
Cross came to my village and took care of us. When they asked who
wanted to be a volunteer, I said yes.” Today, it is his turn to help
take care of others.
IFRC has released 227,336 Swiss francs from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund
to support the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society in responding to the
Ebola outbreak. Activities focus largely on educating communities on how
they can protect themselves and help prevent the spread of the Ebola
virus disease. Similar emergency operations have been launched in Guinea
and Liberia. Preparedness operations are underway in Cote d’Ivoire,
Mali and Senegal in the event the virus begins to spread even further.
Ebola, snakes and witchcraft: Stopping the deadly disease in its tracks in West Africa
Published: 24 June 2014 15:06 CET
By Cristina Estrada, IFRC
They call him by his surname, Konneh. His manners are
gentle and his voice calm. He is a volunteer with the Sierra Leone Red
Cross Society, always willing to help. Although he lives in Kenema, he
comes from Daru, one of the villages most affected by the Ebola virus
disease outbreak in Sierra Leone.
His uncle and his uncle’s wife have both died of Ebola.
First, they brought his uncle to Kenema, a two hour drive from Daru
where the treatment centre for Ebola patients is located. He died. Two
days later they brought his aunt. She also died. “His wife was a nurse.
My uncle got it from his wife,” Konneh says calmly. His cousin also
died.
“When health workers start dying from Ebola, the entire
health care system is affected. Doctors and nurses are afraid to go to
work or to treat patients, which is what we are seeing in Sierra Leone
at the moment,” says Amanda McClelland, senior emergency health officer
at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRC). “However, with proper training and by taking adequate
precautions, health care workers can safely treat Ebola patients. And it
is proven that the sooner treatment can start, the greater the chances
of survival.”
Most of the people affected by Ebola in Sierra Leone are
women as they are the ones who take care of sick family members and
relatives. They are also the ones who care for the body of a person who
has died, which is highly infectious if not dealt properly handled.
Overcoming fear, denial and stigma
“I’m scared. Ebola, it’s dangerous. People are saying Ebola
does not exist but I’ve seen it. I believe it exists,” Konneh says.
There is a lot of fear, denial and stigma attached to the highly
contagious disease, as it is the first time it has appeared in Sierra
Leone. Some communities are not letting authorities or humanitarian
actors enter, while many of those who may have come into contact with
the virus and need to be watched, disappear and are, therefore, unable
to be traced.
Some believe that Ebola is caused by witchcraft.
One of the most widespread stories related to the Ebola
outbreak is this: A woman in a village went on a journey and left at
home a box, instructing her husband not to open it. The husband opens
the box and finds a snake inside, which informs the husband not to
reveal his presence or else the snake will kill everyone in the village.
The husband does not heed the warning and spreads the word about the
snake’s presence. The snake goes on a killing spree.
Another story that has gained traction around Kenema is
that of the doctors in the isolation ward administering lethal
injections to people. In the eyes of villagers, this explains why people
never come back from the isolation centre.
“If people believe Ebola is real, we can control it. The
common people, the illiterate, they only believe in what they see,”
Konneh explains.
For those who do accept that Ebola is a real disease, they
believe it is fatal and, as a result, do not see the reason for seeking
healthcare when they have symptoms. However, to date, ten people have
survived Ebola and been discharged from the hospital in Kenema and are
back home with their families. “An increase in awareness raising and
outreach to communities will be effective in dispelling erroneous
stories and beliefs,” McClelland highlights. “Fighting stigma, changing
behaviour and seeking hospital care as soon as possible are the key
elements to fighting Ebola.”
At the age of 21, Konneh is no stranger to fatalities. He
joined the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society four years ago. His father, a
regional imam who played an important role in his village, was taken and
killed during a time of conflict, along with his grandfather. “The Red
Cross came to my village and took care of us. When they asked who
wanted to be a volunteer, I said yes.” Today, it is his turn to help
take care of others.
IFRC has released 227,336 Swiss francs from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund
to support the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society in responding to the
Ebola outbreak. Activities focus largely on educating communities on how
they can protect themselves and help prevent the spread of the Ebola
virus disease. Similar emergency operations have been launched in Guinea
and Liberia. Preparedness operations are underway in Cote d’Ivoire,
Mali and Senegal in the event the virus begins to spread even further.
