Nicaragua Health Authorities Quarantine US Embassy Staffer Over Ebola Fears

by Dr. Trupti Shirole on April 15, 2015 at 9:25 AM

The Ebola outbreak that erupted in West Africa last year has ravaged Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, killing more than 10,600 people in the past 15-months. Although the rate of new infections has dropped down, the threat to West Africa and rest of the world still remains. The World Health Organization recommends that individuals who are potentially infected with Ebola virus must be quarantined for 21 days. Nicaraguan authorities have quarantined a US embassy staffer who possibly came into contact with Ebola patients in Liberia.

The US embassy in Nicaragua acknowledged that the man had traveled to Liberia, but denied he had come into contact with Ebola patients. Before returning to Nicaragua, he was examined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, which confirmed he had no symptoms of the disease. Nicaragua's health ministry had also cleared him to return to the Central American country and resume work.

Ebola Virus Disease

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.

Carlos Saenz, the ministry's head of epidemiology, said, "The 51-year-old US citizen confirmed that he spent time in health facilities where Ebola patients are being treated during a trip to Liberia. The Nicaraguan government has asked the US State Department to send a plane with all equipment necessary to take him back to the United States. In the meantime, the health ministry has isolated him at his home. They have set up a security corridor around it and ordered a medical team to visit him twice a day. The man does not show symptoms of the disease and the measures are strictly preventive."

Last year, Nicaragua declared a health alert over Ebola threat and detained at least 16 undocumented immigrants from Africa, placing them in quarantine. However, no cases of the disease have been detected in the country.

Source: Medindia

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