“Minimal fear” of Ebola virus in Georgia

There is minimal fear the deadly Ebola virus will enter Georgia as the country has activated tough measures to screen potentially infected persons, says the country’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The disease, for which there is no vaccine and no cure, has claimed 1145 lives since the current outbreak began in February. More than 2,400 people were confirmed or suspected to have contracted the deadly disease.

Georgia’s NCDC and Public Health advised against travelling to West Africa due to the deadly Ebola outbreak, which is spreading faster than it can be contained across Western Africa.

In particular, the NCDC called on people not to travel to four countries - Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - that were currently at the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak.

Head of the NCDC Amiran Gamkrelidze said eights citizens had entered Georgia’s border from the affected countries however strict measures were in place to ensure the disease did not enter the Georgian community.

"Health organisations are testing the people who entered Georgia’s borders from high risk countries … [and] all protocols are being properly followed,” Gamkrelidze said.

He reconfirmed Georgia’s Ministry of Health controlled the situation and had ruled out ruled out the presence of the virus in Georgia.