Some interesting insights into Ebola in Africa from a travel perspective. You will not find this information on CNN, FOX and other 24 hour news media. They are bent on selling fear and advertising. Words for the Wise 1. The continent of Africa is larger than the U.S., China, India, Europe and Japan combined. 2. Africa is not one country but 54 independent nations with strict customs controls. Most have restricted entry to travelers that visited affected West African countries. 3. The main safari destinations are in East and Southern Africa, which is farther away from the affected countries in West Africa than parts of Europe and South America. 4. There have been no cases of Ebola in Southern or East Africa, which includes South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. In regard to Kenya, A&K’s home and the center of its safari operations, the company reminds its clients that: 1. Kenya remains Ebola free and no single case of Ebola has been recorded in the country. 2. The affected countries are in the extreme western part of the African continent, thousands of kilometers from Kenya. Geographically, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea are closer to Madrid, Paris and London than they are to Kenya. 3. Kenya Airways flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone remain suspended as a measure to prevent the spread of Ebola. In addition, restrictions on entry into Kenya for those who have passed through Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia are still in place. 4. Visitors to Kenya are not at any risk of contracting Ebola and there is no reason for visitors to cancel or postpone their travel plans. Here are some additional factoids for consideration. Dakar, Senegal, in the affected area, is closer to New York (3,818 miles) than it is to Nairobi (3,865 miles), Johannesburg (4,159 miles) or Cape Town (4,100 miles). Within Africa, Ebola has been confined to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal. Outside of Africa, cases have now been reported in the U.S., Spain and Germany. According to the Centers for Disease Control: Ebola is not transmitted through casual contact, air, water, food grown or legally purchased in the U.S. Ebola is spread through the body fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from Ebola. Body fluids include blood, vomit, urine, feces, sweat, semen, spit, etc. It can also be spread through objects contaminated with the virus, such as needles and other medical equipment, by the body fluids of infected animals or infected meat. Ebola can only be spread after symptoms appear, which happens from two to 21 days after exposure. You can only be infected by someone who visibly exhibits the symptoms. The symptoms are fever, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, unexplained bleeding or bruising or muscle pain. According to Dan Austin, president of Austin Adventures, “In my humble opinion there are better odds for winning the lottery than getting Ebola. Reading up on it, the average traveler needs to relax.” “These fears will abate once we get beyond the current ‘breaking news’ syndrome,” said Bob Drumm, president of Alexander + Roberts.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 23:01:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015