Mexican health authorities intensified epidemiological surveillance in the face of the reappearance of Ebola outbreaks in Central Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The Secretary of Health, David Kershenobich, assured that the country remains “prepared and vigilant” to detect possible imported cases. So far, none have been registered in national territory.
The General Directorate of Epidemiology issued a travel alert for those traveling to affected areas. It also implemented special monitoring of people entering from the African continent. The authorities stressed the importance of identifying compatible symptoms to isolate possible infections in a timely manner.
Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with body fluids such as blood, saliva or vomit. It can cause severe failures in the body. The Ministry of Health stated that it has care protocols, specialized laboratories and adequate medical equipment to face an eventual detection of the virus.
At the international level, the World Health Organization has reported more than 500 suspected cases and around 130 deaths in the affected region. The speed of the outbreak has sparked global alerts due to the risk of spread outside the area of origin.
In addition to Ebola, Mexico maintains surveillance on hantavirus, a disease transmitted by rodents that has already registered recent cases in the country. The authorities reiterated that the situation is under control, but constant monitoring is maintained to prevent any public health emergency.
