Luanda - The Angolan government has ordered the suspension of migratory movements at its northeastern border due to an outbreak of the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever hitting Kassi province in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The disease first appeared in the DRC on 27 November last year.
Speaking at a press conference, Angolan Health Minister Jos, Van-D£nem said the measure was intended to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease into Angolan territory, through migratory movements and illegal prospecting of diamond.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Angola, Diosdado Nsue-Micawg, on Monday reaffirmed the fears that the handling of dead monkeys found in the forest might be behind the upsurge in the Ebola haemorrhagic fever outbreak in Kassi province in the western DRC.
The minister has also ordered the dissemination of information on how to prevent the illness and reinforce epidemiological surveillance, with a view to an early response.
The measures include a multi-sectoral action involving the Ministry of Commerce and the Migration and Foreigners Services.
He added that the preventive measures would be extended to Moxico in eastern Angola, Malanje in the north, Uije also in the north and Lunda-Sul in the northeast, because of their proximity to the affected areas of the DRC.
The first suspect Ebola fever case in the DRC was recorded on 27 November last year and confirmed on 16 December, after laboratory testing in Kinshasa, Gabon and South Africa.
At least 13 people have died, out of the 40 cases recorded in the DRC.
WHO representative Nsue-Micawg said the source of virus was so far unknown, but it was feared that hunters and women who visited the forest might have been in contact with infected monkeys.
He added that the WHO had assisted Angola's Health Ministry with the distribution of specific information and instructions to the provinces exposed to the risk, aimed at revitalising and reorganising the alert and prevention system.
The WHO has taken the commitment to providing regular information on the epidemic in the DRC, in support of the rapid evaluation teams in the border districts of the provinces of Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Moxico, Malanje and U¡ge.
The UN agency will also provide reinforcements to epidemiological surveillance at border regions and carry out an active search for suspected cases in places of high population density, as well as marshal additional partners and resources.
The distribution of essential drugs, materials and manuals for education, communication and information on health in selected districts, as well as the approval and implementation of a contingency plan, including the inventory of existing resources and draft budget for the emergency, are some of WHO's responsibilities.
Mr Nsue-Micawg said the WHO would also help with the drafting and implementation of an emergency action plan and with gathering of information on support health networks and logistics, with a view to an effective handling of eventual outbreaks of Ebola in the country.
Ebola outbreaks have been recorded in the DRC since 1976, and have so far killed 280 people, out of 318 cases reported, reflecting the high mortality rate. The latest previous outbreak occurred in September 2007, with 249 notified cases and 183 deaths.
