“We have no Ebola in the country,” NICD public
health, surveillance, and response head Lucille Blumberg told reporters
in Johannesburg.
“The chances of an outbreak (in South Africa) are very small."
South Africa will not treat foreigners with the deadly virus, she added.
"If there is a confirmed diagnosis of a foreign
national, they will not be allowed into the country (to get
treatment)," Blumberg said.
"If it is undiagnosed and the person does not know, they will be treated."
Blumberg said although the government had taken
a stand on the treatment of foreigners, those infected would not
generally have the means to come to South Africa and seek treatment.
Blumberg said it was important for people to
know about the virus and for those infected to disclose their status to
doctors. She said the virus was not easily transmitted and said those
travelling to affected areas would not contract the virus.
"You need direct contact with an individual infected. You cannot get it from the air," she said.
The Associated Press reported that over 700
people had died of Ebola in west Africa, with the worst recorded
outbreak in history centred in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia.
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