Avigan, the Anti-Ebola Drug is Authorised by Guinea's Government

Successful initial trials of the drug to treat Ebola has led to the authorisation of the drug by Guinea's government for wider use in treatment centres.

The number of people with Ebola in Guinea has doubled in the past week across the three worst affected West African states - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Ebola Virus Disease | Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever: Cause Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment
Ebola is caused by a virus via direct contact with body fluids or infected blood. Scientists have identified five types of Ebola or Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus.

Guinea's anti-Ebola task force said about two dozen new cases of Ebola had been recorded in the last two weeks, taking the total number to 53 as of Friday. Officials are accessing villages where they had previously faced local resistance to their presence.

French and Guinean teams in southern Guinea have tested the experimental Japanese drug Avigan, or favipiravir developed by Toyama Chemical, a subsidiary of Japan’s Fujifilm, since mid-December.

French President Francois Hollande's office said that the results had been positive and the drug appeared to accelerate the recovery process of patients.

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Zaire ebolavirus is commonly known as Ebola. It was previously known as ebola haemorrhagic fever and is a deadly human illness.

"We have decided to broaden the use of this drug. It will only be available in the Ebola Treatment Units, not the hospitals," said Sakoba Keita, coordinator of Guinea's Ebola response.

Health officials have not provided any data for the results of the trials of the anti-Ebola drug. Favipiravir has been distributed to the town of Coyah after testing in Gueckedou and Nzerekore and talks are underway to start the treatment in the capital, Conakry.

Rheumatic Fever - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that may develop after an infection with group A Streptococcus bacteria.

"The Ebola situation is getting better but we are not cured," said Jean-François Delfraissy, a French Ebola expert working alongside Guinean authorities to contain the crisis.

Source-Medindia

Congo Fever-Transmission-Risk Factors-Symptoms-Diagnosis-Treatment-Prevention
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral disease that affects people who are bitten by infected ticks or those in direct contact with blood or tissues of infected animals or patients.