The highest health authorities in the UAE have confirmed that the country is fully prepared to address any health developments or new emergency conditions, especially those related to the Ebola virus.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) stated that the country's level of preparedness and health monitoring measures are continuously evaluated and reviewed in accordance with approved standards.

This announcement comes amid rising concerns about a new outbreak of Ebola in some African countries.

Bahrain announced on Tuesday that it has suspended the entry of foreign nationals from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda for 30 days due to the Ebola outbreak.

Jordan has also halted the entry of travelers coming from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

According to an AFP report, the new Ebola outbreak has claimed over 130 lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo so far.

This virus has spread not only to other provinces of Congo but also beyond its borders to Uganda.

The Ugandan government has reported one confirmed case and one death related to Congolese citizens who crossed the border.

Currently, a vaccine is only available for the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus; the strain responsible for the largest recorded outbreaks of this disease.

However, there is still no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, which is responsible for the current outbreak.

The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern on Tuesday regarding the "magnitude and speed" of the new Ebola outbreak.

Over the past 50 years, Ebola has claimed more than 15,000 lives in Africa, and the WHO has declared the new wave of this severe and contagious disease as an "international public health emergency."

UAE officials once again urged the public to follow health news and information only from official sources.

Source: Gulf Times