ABSTRACT
In December 2014, Ebola virus disease (EVD) was diagnosed in a healthcare worker in the United Kingdom after the worker returned from an Ebola treatment center in Sierra Leone. The worker flew on 2 flights during the early stages of disease. Follow-up of 238 contacts showed no evidence of secondary transmission of Ebola virus.
Subject(s)
Contact Tracing , Disease Outbreaks , Ebolavirus/pathogenicity , Health Personnel , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/virology , Adult , Aircraft , Ebolavirus/physiology , Female , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/therapy , Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola/transmission , Humans , International Cooperation , Sierra Leone/epidemiology , Travel , United Kingdom/epidemiologyABSTRACT
This article considers the possible role of the military in relation to 'post-conflict situations' and helping to improve the health of affected civilian populations. The opinions expressed are personal reflections which draw upon the author's recent military medical experience in southern Iraq in 2004. The perspective of humanitarian aid agencies that have strong reservations about any involvement with the military is recognised, as they seek to maintain neutrality and the safety of their staff. The environment itself, however, may represent an unacceptable level of threat to humanitarian aid agencies, if their personnel are at risk of serious intimidation, e.g. kidnap or murder. Where terrorist and insurgent para-military groups emerge in a post-war fighting phase, it may be that the military is best placed to help co-ordinate efforts to ensure public health and health care provision until a satisfactory level of security is attained and humanitarian aid agencies are able to operate with confidence.
