With global attention now focusing on a renewed outbreak of Ebola that has occurred, including within Central and East Africa, the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is being careful not to take unnecessary precautions or to panic. The Vanuatu Ministry of Health has promptly provided reassurance to their citizens that the chance of Ebola arriving in Vanuatu is very low, despite increased international health authorities monitoring the recent outbreak of Ebola, which is being caused by a rare strain called Bundibugyo, occurring primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
While the word “Ebola” can invoke an alarming and scared mental image because of the high fatality rate associated with its use and the contagiousness of this potentially deadly virus (the fatality rate can range from 25% to 90% depending on the strain and available medical treatment), those in the health field can agree that the risk of death by Ebola is not as likely as the fear associated with this deadly viral disease.
Vanuatu health authorities believe that the very geographic separation from all other countries, combined with enhanced border surveillance, will put them in a very good position to defend against any possible threats. Furthermore, all travelers to Vanuatu are being closely monitored, and preparedness for any possible emergency has already been implemented as a precautionary measure and is not due to any known threat at this time.
Vanuatu’s vigilant but calm response to Ebola demonstrates the lessons learned from previous health emergencies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vanuatu received worldwide recognition for its rapid public health response and disciplined border management. As a result of these lessons, Vanuatu is now able to use prior institutional memory to deal with the current Ebola outbreak.
The most serious aspect of the Ebola outbreak is the mode of transmission, which is through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and not through airborne droplet transmission like with influenza or COVID-19. Therefore, early identification and isolation of those infected are critical components in containing an outbreak, but only if the public health system reacts in a timely manner.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the present Ebola outbreak as high regionally but low globally. The classification corresponds to Vanuatu’s more conservative assessment of the outbreak.
For the residents of Vanuatu’s 80-plus islands, the message is one of being informed but not frightened.
As we live in a world today that is interconnected, with diseases and viruses able to cross borders or continents within hours, preparation (rather than panic) is the best remedy. At this point, Vanuatu appears to have the prescription correct.
