Botswana is facing Ebola importation through its busy regional transport and travel routes, with government warning of risks
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
The Ministry of Health has issued the warning of Ebola importation risks following fresh outbreaks of Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD), commonly known as Ebola, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, countries linked to Botswana through regional freight networks and international air travel connections.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the latest Ebola outbreak in Africa has already killed between 89 people this year, with more than 300 suspected cases recorded mainly in eastern DRC’s Ituri Province. Uganda has also reported imported infections linked to travellers from the DRC, heightening fears of regional spread.
The ministry stated that although Botswana has not recorded any suspected or confirmed Ebola cases, the risk of the virus crossing into the country remains real and significant.
BOTSWANA KEY TRANSIT CORRIDOR
“Botswana is a regional truck transit corridor handling daily freight movements connecting the DRC and South Africa,” the ministry’s spokesperson, Dr Christopher Nyanga, warned in the press release.
The ministry further revealed that Botswana’s international airports continue to receive travellers through regional hubs including Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Johannesburg and Kigali all of which are connected to Ebola-risk zones such as Kampala and Kinshasa.
WHO DECLARES GLOBAL EMERGENCY
The WHO has classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern amid fears that the virus could spread across borders through regional transport and air travel networks.
BORDERS AIRPORTS UNDER SURVEILLANCE
The ministry said Botswana has now moved to tighten surveillance systems at all entry points to prevent possible importation of the virus.
The MoH, working alongside the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, said all travellers arriving from or transiting through Uganda and the DRC within the last 21 days will undergo mandatory fever screening and complete health declaration forms.
RISK OF IMPORTED INFECTIONS
The government fears that without aggressive monitoring, the country could become vulnerable to imported infections through truck drivers, cross-border traders and international travellers moving along regional corridors daily.
The ministry is now discouraging non-essential travel to Ebola-affected countries as fears mounts over the highly infectious and often fatal disease.
PUBLIC URGED TO MONITOR SYMPTOMS
Citizens returning from Uganda or the DRC have been instructed to closely monitor themselves for symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting and unexplained bleeding for a period of 21 days. The ministry warned that anyone developing symptoms must seek immediate medical attention to avoid the potential spread of the virus.
WARNING ON CONTACT WITH BODILY FLUIDS
The MoH also issued a stern warning against contact with blood, bodily fluids or corpses of people who may have died from unexplained illnesses, stressing that Ebola spreads rapidly through direct human contact.