China beefs up preventions against Ebola(2)

"(Ebola) is a nightmare for the world," said James Mwangi, a buyer from Kenya. "I think (Chinese border police) should take more precautions and maybe inspect every person just to ensure that nobody comes in with the disease."

In its latest update, the World Health Organization (WHO) said seven countries have reported over 9,200 confirmed, probable and suspected cases. Of those, more than 4,500 have died.

Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, among the least wealthy nations in West Africa where the disease is prevalent, are the worst-hit.

Currently, the Ebola epidemic has become a prominent challenge for the international community as it still has no effective treatment and vaccines are still under first-stage clinical trials. China has sent batches of supplies and medical staff to help contain the outbreak in western Africa.

NO NEED FOR PANIC

With a grave challenge in controlling the notoriously contagious virus, Chinese disease control experts admit there is a risk of isolated imported cases. But the risk of an Ebola outbreak nationwide is low since China has extensive experience containing public health emergencies.

Beginning with the SARS outbreak in 2003, Chinese authorities, medical institutions and the general public have all greatly raised awareness in how to guard against deadly infectious diseases, said He Jianfeng, chief expert with the Guangdong provincial center for disease control and prevention.

"The possibility of a large-scale Ebola outbreak in China is almost zero," said He.

Li Lanjuan, a disease control expert for the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said health authorities should popularize basic knowledge of the virus and its prevention measures.

He said they should be transparent in handling information in a bid to avoid unnecessary public panic.

The WHO has already taken similar measures, reiterating that the risk of transmission of Ebola during air travel remains low as it is not an airborne virus. It can only be transmitted by direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is sick with the disease.

China has no infection sources so there can only be imported cases, said Li, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, urging authorities to beef up border inspections and launch compulsory quarantines for people with high fevers from disease-plagued regions.

"With stringent control measures, the isolated imported cases could be contained and further infections could be avoided," said Li, also a doctor with the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University.

"Currently, there is no need for panic in China," she said.