All travel to Ebola- hit regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) should be prevented owing to the country’s Ebola epidemic, Rwandan Health Minister Diane Gashumba said Thursday.
“Unessential travels to eastern DRC, including cross-border trade should be highly avoided. Rwandans should think twice before crossing to DRC just to buy or sell a few pair of shoes or a few food stuff items,” said Gashumba while addressing a press conference in Rwandan capital Kigali.
She reiterated that Rwanda’s border with the DRC stays open, adding that in the event of a temporary closure at the border, the govt would issue a declaration.
She said that Border traffic slowed down on Thursday morning as measures were placed in place to strengthen screening processes and public safety at entry points.
The minister also warned against illegal crossings from or to the DRC.
She stressed the need to seek instant medical advice when falling ill during or immediately after traveling to the DRC
DRC’s presidency office said in a declaration previously Thursday that Rwanda closed its border with its western neighbour after a person died of Ebola in the eastern DRC town of Goma, which borders south Rwanda.
The guy, in his 40s, tested the lethal virus positively and died in the populous town of Goma on Wednesday. He was the city’s second confirmed case of Ebola.
The DRC health officials announced the confirmation of a third case in Goma late Wednesday night.
This week marked a year since the beginning of the continuing DRC Ebola epidemic that has already murdered more than 1,700 individuals, making it the second worst outbreak in history.
Rwanda has a comprehensive National Ebola Preparedness Plan in place and has trained health employees in early detection and reaction, informed communities about Ebola, vaccinated health workers in high-risk regions, equipped health equipment, and continues to perform simulation exercises to preserve a high level of readiness.
Screening for Ebola symptoms at entry points has been continuous since the start of the epidemic in DRC and has been strengthened since the confirmation of a case in Goma.
An Ebola Treatment Center has been set up in the nation and 23 isolation units are being prepared in hospitals in 15 priority districts.
Ebola reaction simulation exercises are on a periodic basis within the community, boundaries, airport and therapy center to evaluate Rwanda’s preparedness in reaction to a situation that involves emergency operations center activation, active surveillance, case management and laboratory testing.
Approximately 3,000 health employees in high- risk fields were vaccinated as a preventive measure and over 23,000 individuals were educated including physicians, nurses, hospital employees, community health workers, religious leaders, Red Cross volunteers and safety bodies.