South Korea Enhances Quarantine for Arrivals from Seven African Nations to Combat Ebola Virus

Synopsis

In response to a recent Ebola outbreak in Uganda, South Korea is strengthening quarantine measures for travelers from seven African nations to prevent the virus's spread. Inbound travelers must report any abnormal symptoms to health officials upon arrival.

Key Takeaways

South Korea is tightening quarantine protocols.
Travelers from seven African nations must report symptoms.
Ebola outbreaks have occurred regularly since 1976.
Uganda reported an Ebola death, prompting these measures.
There is currently no widely used Ebola vaccine.

Seoul, Feb 26 (NationPress) South Korea is set to enhance its quarantine protocols for individuals arriving from seven African nations to combat the potential spread of the Ebola virus, as stated by health officials on Wednesday.

Travelers entering from Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Ethiopia will be mandated to abide by quarantine regulations, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), as reported by Yonhap news agency.

As per the nation's quarantine guidelines, individuals arriving from these seven countries must inform quarantine officials of any unusual physical symptoms, including fever and rash, upon their arrival in South Korea.

This decision follows the recent report of Uganda's first Ebola death in two years. The Ebola virus results in severe inflammation and hemorrhagic fever in humans, and currently, there is no widely available vaccine.

Jee Young-mee, Commissioner of KDCA, remarked, "While Ebola virus disease is not rapidly spreading in other regions due to its transmission through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or tissues, we are taking steps to limit the risk of an outbreak here."

Last month, Uganda reported an Ebola outbreak after a 32-year-old male nurse at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala succumbed to the disease, as per Xinhua news agency.

According to the Ministry of Health in Uganda, as of Wednesday, approximately nine laboratory-confirmed Ebola virus infections have been recorded, which includes one death, with at least 265 contacts of the initial case being monitored.

Ebola is categorized as a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by different species of viruses belonging to the genus Ebolavirus. Initial symptoms resemble those of the flu but may escalate to severe vomiting, bleeding, and neurological issues.

The virus can be transmitted to humans from bats, nonhuman primates, and antelopes. Subsequently, it can spread from person to person, leading to outbreaks, primarily occurring in certain parts of Africa.

Although Ebola is rare, outbreaks have been reported consistently since the recognition of ebolaviruses in 1976 in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo).

Most outbreaks are attributed to Zaire ebolavirus and Sudan ebolavirus.

The most extensive outbreak of Ebola occurred between 2014 and 2016, involving Zaire ebolavirus, with a total of 28,646 cases and 11,323 deaths recorded across 10 countries.