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Ebola poses no significant risk in Malta and the chances of this contagious disease reaching the island through irregular migration is “remote”, according to Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne.
Keen to dispel misconceptions, Mr Fearne yesterday held a press briefing to allay fears and put society’s mind at rest that Malta was well prepared to handle the situation should anyone become infected.
“We are taking this very seriously and although the risk of Ebola reaching Malta is very low we are taking all the precautions,” he said. Flanked by infectious control head Michael Borg and health promotion director Charmaine Gauci, Mr Fearne stressed that Ebola was not endemic in Europe, the Mediterranean or North Africa. The disease has an incubation period of between two to 21 days.
“The chances of irregular immigrants bringing Ebola to Malta by sea are remote.
“There is no Ebola in North Africa and since the incubation period is relatively short the risk posed to the island is through air travel; and even this is small,” Mr Fearne said.
It is also not possible to contract the disease by sitting next to an infected person on the plane or if somebody carrying the virus sneezes on you.
The virus dies quickly outside the body and you cannot contract the disease through air, water or food.
We are taking all the precautions
The disease spreads through direct contact – through broken skin or mucous membranes – with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids.
The press conference comes one day after the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak in Africa – which started in Guinea and spread to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria – an international public health emergency.
Mr Fearne said Malta was heeding the advice of WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and making all the necessary arrangements, from constantly briefing healthcare providers to involving stakeholders, such as the airport and port authorities, to deal with any potential threat.
He stressed that no cases of Ebola had been reported in Malta, but the authorities were taking action and he urged those travelling to Malta from West Africa to contact the authorities.
A few days ago a Maltese national who flew back from Sierra Leone informed health authorities of his arrival and after undergoing the necessary tests is being monitored for 21 days. The person is not infected, but the health authorities are taking all the “quasi-extreme” precautions.
Dr Borg said final preparations were also under way to upgrade two rooms in Mater Dei Hospital’s infectious diseases ward to treat patients with Ebola should the need ever arise. He defended the decision to treat this disease at Mater Dei because it provided the best level of care in a secure environment that posed no danger to society.
A 24-hour helpline has been set up – 2132 4086.