2 peacekeepers in quarantine
Two United Nations peacekeepers from Bangladesh have been in quarantine at a hospital in Mali's capital Bamako since November 12 after a nurse died of Ebola there having treated a man from Guinea.
One of the Bangladeshi army personnel were admitted there with injuries to his legs, which he had sustained in a grenade explosion, while the other with chest pain. They were receiving treatment at the hospital when the nurse died, said Brig Gen Saleem Ahmed Khan, director of the overseas operations directorate of Bangladesh Army, while replying to a query at a press conference.
Inter Services Public Relations organised the press conference at the Armed Forces Medical Institute's auditorium to brief the media on measures taken to keep Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers safe from Ebola.
“There is nothing to be worried since the two Bangladeshi peacekeepers were at a different block at the hospital,” said the director. They have been quarantined along with other patients as a precaution against Ebola outbreak.
According to Reuters, about 20 UN peacekeepers, who were admitted to the clinic after sustaining injuries while serving in the turbulent north of Mali, have been put in quarantine for 21 days, the incubation period for the virus.
Now 1,400 Bangladeshi troops are deployed across the West African country, Mali, where according to World Health Organisation there have been three confirmed deaths from Ebola and another suspected death from the infection.
Mali shares its border with Guinea that has been the worst affected along with Liberia and Sierra Leone by the Ebola outbreak that claimed 5,177 lives as of November 14.
Maj Gen Md Rabiul Hossain, consultant physician general of the directorate general of medical services of the army, who led a five-member high-powered medical team to Liberia to assess and observe Ebola situation spoke at the press conference.
“Despite severe Ebola outbreak in Liberia, our troops are not infected. This happened due to extreme precautions by our commanders there,” he said.
The visit of the medical team boosted the troops' moral strength, Maj Gen Rabiul said, adding that they have been monitoring the situation every day and getting updated information about the troops.
“After assessing the precautionary and protective measures we've told our troops that they will not be infected. What they need to do is to continue following the measures.”
Rabiul said the medical team had visited Liberia only as the country was severely affected by Ebola and that 525 Bangladeshi troops were serving there. Troops from 12 countries have been deployed in Liberia, but only Bangladesh Army sent a medical team there.
Replying to another query, Brig Gen Saleem said Ebola did not affect the deployment of UN peacekeepers from Bangladesh.
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