Beware of diseases resembling Ebola: experts
Health workers in Liberia place
What you need to know:
The recent death of two people in Dar es Salaam is the latest among the incidents where patients with Ebola-like symptoms died in the country—only to be confirmed later that they didn’t actually succumb to the deadly disease.
Dar es Salaam. Experts say there is a wide range of viral diseases in Tanzania which mimic ebola and urged the public not to panic when an individual develops symptoms such as fever and bleeding.
The recent death of two people in Dar es Salaam is the latest among the incidents where patients with Ebola-like symptoms died in the country—only to be confirmed later that they didn’t actually succumb to the deadly disease.
Last week, neighbouring Kenya issued an alert over an outbreak of Yellow fever in the country after two people reported to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) with symptoms of fever and bleeding.
They were later confirmed to have died of the disease. Patients suspected of yellow fever usually have symptoms such as chills, nausea, joint pains and sometimes can bleed from the nose or mouth.
Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Children and the Elderly, Dr Mpoki Ulisumbisya told The Citizen yesterday that diseases which cause bleeding (viral hemorrhagic fevers) have often been the source of panic.
Dr Mpoki mentioned them as Chikungunya, Dengue fever [and sometimes] severe malaria. Victims can bleed form the skin pores, nose or mouth in addition to suffering an attack of fever.
He, however, said that other viral ailments, such as Marburg and Zika fever can cause Ebola-like symptoms but he insisted that they have never been diagnosed in Tanzania. The PS’s comment comes a day after two people fell ill and were rushed to Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) but later died within twelve hours after arriving at the facility.
They deceased—both of them—reportedly arrived in the city from Iringa Region. Health Minister, Ummy Mwalimu said that samples of their blood proved negative for Ebola after Lab tests.
However, she maintained that the deceased would be buried by the Municipality and not their relatives as the government awaits results of their body fluid samples which were sent to the Kenyan Institute of Medical Research (KEMR) for further confirmation.
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that West African countries—Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea were now free of Ebola.
