Malawi dismisses reports of first Ebola case

Health authorities in Malawi have dismissed as false reports that first Ebola case has been recorded in the country’s border district of Karonga.

The scare broke Sunday when health workers in the district that borders with Tanzania quarantined one person suspected to have Ebola signs and symptoms.

Louis Tukula, environmental health officer for the district, told local media that the screening for the suspected 37-year-old man had shown that he had a bacterial infection and not Ebola.

However, Tukula said the patient would remain quarantined until he recovers fully.

“Rumors or information related to suspected Ebola cases are likely to be there, because in the district we have intensified surveillance and sensitisation on the same since July when the disease was declared in DRC by WHO,’’ explained Tukula.

He said people were now aware of the signs and symptoms so they were likely to come out and report suspected cases just like the case in question was reported.

According to the Ministry of Health in Malawi, the country is on high alert and authorities are closely monitoring the situation.

A statement issued by the ministry on the scare said the health workers in Karonga were doing all they could to ensure prevention of infection while investigations continued.

“This is to inform the general public that there’s a patient admitted to Karonga Treatment Camp with fever and signs of infection,’’ wrote Principal Secretary for Health, Dr. Dan Namalika,

“There is no history suggesting contact or travel to any region with Ebola.’’

Hundreds of people from DRC enter Malawi every month and Malawian soldiers are deployed to DRC for peace keeping missions.