A crisis mechanism is ready to be launched in France to deal with the threat posed Ebola virus. Hemorrhagic fever is already totaling 1,229 deadin the affected countries of Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, according to the latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO). To prevent the arrival of a possible case of a person infected with the virus on French territory, the Ministries of Health, Interior and Foreign Affairs have launched a vigilance plan which would currently be at level 2 B, reports le Parisien in its today’s edition.
These precautionary measures apply from African soil. The countries affected by the virus carry out an initial screening of passengers at airports. Their temperature is probed using heat guns. Anyone with a temperature above 38°C cannot board a plane, continues the daily. If, despite everything, a sick person is spotted in an aircraft, they are put aside by the aircrew, wearing gloves and masks. The patient is taken care of by the Samu in order to avoid any contact with the public.
Exit screening of passengers in countries affected by the virus has been recommended by the WHO. It is desired in airports but also in ports and main customs posts to detect signs evoking Ebola fever.
Referral hospitals
In France, nine reference hospitals are responsible for dealing with Ebola cases and chosen by the Ministry of Health. These are Bégin, Bichat, Necker in Paris, the CHRU in Rennes and Lille, the CHU in Bordeaux and Strasbourg, the Nord hospital in Marseille and the Croix-Rousse hospital in Lyon.
The health monitoring institute is responsible for drawing up a list of people who may have been in contact with a patient in order to submit them to tests. Finally, the P4 Jean Mérieux laboratory in Lyon must analyze the virus strains to identify the Ebola virus.
