[ad_1]
Australian health officials are working with international counterparts to respond to the deadly Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda, a minister has said.
It comes after the World Health Organisation declared it a “public health emergency of international concern”.
In making its declaration at the weekend, the WHO reported more than 85 deaths linked to the latest outbreak with at least 336 further suspected cases.
Noting that he had not received a “full briefing”, cabinet minister Murray Watt said on Monday he was “sure that our health officials will be working with other countries in terms of the response to this”.
“I think we’ve seen previously around the world outbreaks of Ebola have been of great concern to the world,” Senator Watt told ABC’s Radio National.
“So, as I say, I’m sure that some of our officials in the Health Department would be working with their international counterparts about this as well.”
While Ebola outbreaks are not rare, this is only the third time the Bundibugyo variant has been reported.
There are no approved vaccines or therapeutic treatments.
Symptoms start as flu-like before swiftly progressing to include severe vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, rashes, and in some cases, internal and external bleeding, according to the US Center for Disease Control.
Ebola has never been reported in Australia.
[ad_2]
