MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) – Health officials in Canada have come forward with statements to try to dispel fears the Canadian public may have after a case of the Ebola virus was reported in Dallas in the US state of Texas, CBC reported.
"It is important to reassure Canadians – North America is not West Africa. We have right across this country, in every province and territory, we have extremely effective infection control measures in place and protocols," Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins was quoted by Canada's CBC as saying Wednesday.
Statements also followed from other parts of Canada, claiming that the country is on the lookout for the disease, and that Canada possesses all the requisite tools to tackle and contain it.
"Canada is well prepared with a number of systems in place to identify and prevent the spread of serious infectious diseases like Ebola, such as working closely with our international partners to gather and assess information and administering the Quarantine Act at all points of entry into Canada," Dr. Gregory Taylor, Canada's new chief medical officer of health, was quoted by CBC as saying.
Health officials in British Columbia also addressed the public on the matter.
"If Nigerians can manage to contain it, I'm pretty sure Canadians can," Dr. Perry Kendall, British Columbia chief medical officer of health, told CBC.
The worst Ebola epidemic in history began in southern Guinea at the end of 2013 and soon spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. The death toll is estimated to be above 2,400. There is no officially approved medication for the Ebola virus, and experts claim prevention is the only cure. Several countries, including Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan are currently working on vaccines.
