Namibia has no confirmed or suspected Ebola virus disease cases in the wake of an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
This was announced in a public health update by the health ministry’s executive director, Penda Ithindi, on Friday.
“The Ministry of Health and Social Services confirms that there are no confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola in Namibia,” Ithindi said.
He said the health ministry has moved to a state of high preparedness and vigilance and is implementing heightened surveillance, particularly at all points of entry, while refresher training is being provided to frontline health workers.
The update follows reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the outbreak has spread to major urban centres and high-traffic hubs in the DRC, including the cities of Bunia and Goma.
According to the ministry, the WHO on Wednesday reported 53 laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases – 51 in the DRC and two in Uganda – as well as about 600 suspected cases awaiting laboratory validation. A further 139 deaths have been linked to the outbreak.
The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday due to the risks posed by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved antiviral treatment.
The ministry noted that the two confirmed cases in Uganda involved travellers who had recently arrived from affected regions in the DRC and that no local transmission has been confirmed in Uganda.
Ithindi urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information or engaging in speculation that could cause undue alarm.
He advised members of the public to seek medical attention and disclose their travel history if they have recently travelled and become unwell.
Ithindi noted that symptoms of Ebola virus disease typically appear between two and 21 days after exposure to the virus.
The illness is characterised by a sudden onset of high fever and intense fatigue, muscle and joint pain, severe headache, sore throat, gastrointestinal symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, and in advanced stages of an infection internal and external bleeding, for example from the gums, nose or in stools.
