Brussels, 08/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - “The prospect of an epidemic like the one in Africa happening in Europe is highly unlikely”, stated Frédéric Vincent, spokesman to Health Commissioner Tonio Borg on Wednesday 8 October, in response to questions on the chances of the Ebola virus spreading among member states. The Health Security Committee (HSC) met the same day to discuss the situation in Spain, where the first case of Ebola contamination in Europe has been identified. The HSC reviewed the European Commission funded evacuation process, and the Spanish situation was discussed. The Spanish reported on the steps that had been taken to identify the causes of the contamination and set out for the other member states what the situation was with regard to the medical staff who have been put in isolation, Vincent said, indicating that no definitive conclusion could be drawn at this stage. Depending on the information it will receive from the Spanish authorities, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), whose role is to strengthen Europe's defences against infection, could decide by the end of the week, or by the start of next week at the latest, to review the risk assessment, Vincent added. This is to determine whether recommendations should be refined. The EU also decided, following the HSC meeting, to revise information to travellers and health professionals to prevent an outbreak of the virus in Europe and to ensure that travellers and health professionals can recognise cases of Ebola as quickly as possible.
On Monday 6 October, Spain officially announced that a nurse had contracted the virus from two missionaries who were repatriated from West Africa and who have since died. The nurse is the first person in Europe to have contracted Ebola. The Commission immediately requested “clarification” from Spain as to how this contamination could have happened.
Failure fully to observe certain procedures, particularly in handling the bodies and medical waste could be the cause, the Commission has indicated. “There is clearly a problem somewhere”, Vincent stressed, as the member states are supposed to have put in place coordinated procedures to prevent the virus getting into the EU. However, there should be no panic: “When the safety measures, particularly in hospitals, are applied, the danger is kept under control. … We have effective and efficient systems and the means to detect if there are problems. People are treated and isolated”¸ added the spokesman. Eight cases of Ebola were detected in the EU at the start of the week. “The situation in Europe is nothing like what is happening in Africa. When the measures are in place, they work”, Vincent repeated (our translation throughout). (IL)