EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (20): HAJJ TRAVEL RESTRICTION
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Tue 16 Oct 2012
Source: Radio Okapi [in French, trans. & edited by Mod.CP]
http://radiookapi.net/actualite/2012/10 ... ore-134028
Muslims living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will not participate in the pilgrimage to Mecca this year [2012]. The Saudi government has taken this decision to avoid transmission of Ebola virus disease and cholera, which exist in many parts of the country. The President and Legal Representative of the Islamic Community in the DRC (Comico), Sheikh Abdallah Mangala, confirmed this information on Tue 16 Oct 2012.
Sheikh Abdullah Mangala stated that the Saudi government was acting "to protect the lives of other pilgrims in deciding that the Muslims who live in the DRC should not participate in the pilgrimage this year [2012]. This is a responsible decision by the Saudi government in view of the fact that over 2 million people will be visiting Saudi Arabia. Islam itself requires that you should not expose yourself to harm," the sheik said while calling for Muslims in the DRC to pray for their country. "However, we implore the almighty to give the Congolese government officials strength and wisdom to eradicate this epidemic and enable pilgrims from the DRC to visit Mecca next year [2013].
However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says it has not recommended any restriction of movement to or from the DRC to neighbouring countries as a consequence of these epidemics. The Resident Representative of the WHO, Doctor Leodegat Bazira, told Radio Okapi on Tue 16 Oct 2012 that the Ebola virus disease epidemic in the eastern part of the DRC was stabilising. "As of 14 Oct 2012, there have been 75 cases with 36 fatalities. If we look at the number of deaths recorded during the course of the epidemic, we consider that the rate of detection of cases is not increasing, and the number of deaths has stabilised at 36. This stabilization is the result of the implementation of interventions such as the establishment of isolation facilities and surveillance activities."
The Ebola virus disease outbreak was declared in the DRC in August 2012. It has occurred mainly at Isiro in Orientale province. The Department of Health has recommended preventive measures to avoid spread of the disease. "The sooner preventive measures are applied, the faster the spread of disease will be stopped," said Minister Felix Kabange in August 2012, urging the Congolese population to avoid touching any animal found dead in the forest or consuming its meat. "You should also avoid touching the blood, vomit or urine of any patient suffering from a viral haemorrhagic fever, or a deceased person," he added.
In the case of cholera, the Ministry of Health and WHO have recorded more than 19 000 cases between January and June 2012. The most affected provinces are: Ecuador, Bas-Congo, South Kivu and Orientale.
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ProMED-mail <
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[The restriction on pilgrimage to Mecca on the basis of the occurrence of a small number of Ebola virus disease cases in Orientale province seems an over-reaction. Perhaps the recent death of a Saudi patient as the result of infection by a previously uncharacterised coronavirus has alarmed the Saudi medical authorities.
The interactive ProMED-mail/HealthMap of the DRC can be accessed at:
http://healthmap.org/r/3yzA. - Mod.CP]
