SADC Ebola preventive measures at a glance

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will unveil its joint response program to the Ebola outbreak ravaging some countries in West Africa at the end of the regional leaders meeting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe Monday, a senior health official in the region has said.

Here is a glance of preventive measures that have been put in place in the SADC region, which remains Ebola free so far.

NAMIBIA

Namibia has said it will not bar people travelling from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Health and Social Services Minister Richard Kamwi said Namibia was not going to institute a travel ban but would continue putting pro- active measures in place at the country's main entry points such as airports, the ports and border posts.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The country has so far not recorded any confirmed case of Ebola but has recorded a few suspected cases in the northeastern parts of the country, which are still being tested, according to the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health Asuman Lukwago.

Ministry of Health has also assured the public not to panic, saying it was doing everything possible to prevent spread of the disease into the country which is the origin of the Ebola virus.

The disease first broke out in the DRC in 1976 and killed over 284 people. Five other outbreaks in the country between 1976 and 2007 killed about 919 people.

TANZANIA

No case of Ebola has been reported in Tanzania and health officials have advised Tanzanians to postpone travel to countries affected by the disease.

Health officials have also advised the nation that they were taking safety measures, including setting up isolation wards in case of an outbreak, running awareness campaigns and having some airports screening passengers.

MALAWI

The Ministry of Health through its integrated diseases surveillance response program has put in place strategies to prevent occurrence and spread of Ebola in Malawi.

Ministry of Health officials who manage border entry points in the country were undergoing briefing sessions to educate them on nature of the disease and be able to screen physically anyone who may have signs and symptoms of the disease.

SOUTH AFRICA

The Health Department and South African national airline, SAA, have put in place measures for detection and treatment of the Ebola virus should the need arise.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi cautioned South Africans against travelling to the Ebola afflicted nations.

The government had also identified 12 hospitals across the country where patients infected with the Ebola virus could be treated in the event that the virus spreads to the country.

National carrier, South African Airways said it had stepped up measures to protect its passengers, crew and ground staff against infection, adding it would not ban flights to West Africa.

South Africa recorded two confirmed cases of Ebola in 1996 which resulted in one death.

BOTSWANA

The country has imposed travel restrictions to the affected countries with health officials saying the country was maintaining a robust surveillance system for Ebola symptoms, working in conjunction with the disaster management office.

Ministry of Health chief public relations officer Doreen Motshegwa said Botswana had an epidemic preparedness and response plan and had put in place facilities that can be used as isolation facilities in case of need.

MAURITIUS

The country has heightened passenger screening while the port and airport are being reinforced in terms of security.

People coming from West Africa, or those having had contact with people from that region, are being verified for the viral disease in order to prevent any propagation of the virus on the island.

ZIMBABWE

Authorities have started to screen passengers who come from Ebola-affected countries at Zimbabwe's three main airports in a bid to stop the deadly virus from entering the country.

Minister of Health and Child Care David Parirenyatwa says people from the affected countries will be monitored for Ebola symptoms for 21 days, which is the incubation period of the virus.

There are no suspected cases reported in Zimbabwe, but Parirenyatwa says the threat of an outbreak is "very real".

ZAMBIA

Zambia said it would restrict entry of travelers from countries affected by the Ebola virus and would ban Zambians from travelling to those countries, in one of the strictest moves yet by a southern African country against the deadly virus.

"All delegates from any of the countries affected by Ebola virus disease are restricted from entering Zambia until further notice," the Health Ministry said in a statement.

MOZAMBIQUE

The Mozambican health ministry has drawn up a questionnaire that will be used to ask all passengers at the country's ports of entry who come from or have travelled to West Africa.

In addition to people from the affected countries, anyone who presents possible Ebola symptoms such as fever, severe weakness and muscular, head and throat pains would also be screened.

A hospital in Maputo has also set up an isolation ward to deal with possible Ebola cases, and has acquired protective equipment for the staff who will work in this ward.