A 35-year-old Nigerian woman, who traveled to India for cancer treatment, died during her transit in Abu Dhabi after showing Ebola-like symptoms. Her husband, as well as the medical stuff who tried to revive her, are currently in isolation, but well.
The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) said on Sunday that the woman was sick and her condition rapidly deteriorated while waiting during the transit phase in Abu Dhabi. Although she had cancer and was headed to India to seek treatment, she died from what the authorities called symptoms “consistent with the Ebola virus”. The HAAD statement also says that while onboard, only her husband had contact with her, so he and five medics who treated heart the airport, are isolated. Tests will confirm whether she was infected with the deadly disease or not, but for now any of them has shown signs of Ebola. The Ministry of health added that there is no risk for the passengers on the plane, nor there is any risk for the health of people at the airport.
Last week, health officials from the GCC states had an emergency meeting to discuss the level of the Ebola threat to the public and ways to improve prevention and control of infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak an international health emergency as it turned out to be more serious than previously estimated. The Ebola cases in the West African nations of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria are 2127, according to the latest WHO update as of August 15. The death toll has reached 1145 and doctors are expecting more people to die from the disease in the next weeks and even months, as there is no proven effective treatment or vaccine.
However, there are several drugs in development, including the experimental ZMapp, which is believed to have lead to two Americans’ recovery, and a Canadian test vaccine, also untested on humans.
Several airlines canceled their flights to Ebola-affected countries, including Kenya Airways, Africa’s third largest carrier, the Korean Air Lines Co., Gambia Bird, Togo-based Asky Airlines, Nigeria’s Arik air and Cameroon’s carriers, as well.
The British Airlines also joined with a ban on flights from West African countries, while Dubai’s Emirates was the first major airline to end its service to these countries. However, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued a statement saying that carriers should not isolate West Africa, as recommendations don’t include travel and trade bans.
