Health: Seychelles on alert for Ebola cases

Anse Royale Hospital, originally given to the Seychelles by the Chinese, is located in the centre of the southern Mahé district, once called the country's second city. The medical centre is surrounded by banks, the University of Seychelles, restaurants, supermarkets - it is the busiest place in Anse Royale.

Recently, there have been reports of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. So far, the Congolese Ministry of Health has announced the confirmation of 11 previously suspected cases of Ebola and two more deaths, bringing the total number of cases, including 25 deaths, to 45. Of the cases, 14 are confirmed, 10 suspected, and 21 are likely to have the virus. All the deaths so far have occurred in Bikoro, a rural area about 150 km from Mbandaka, a town that has again recorded three cases of the virus.

Despite the World Health Organisation's claim that the cases in Congo were recorded in rural areas, making them more containable, the Seychelles Ministry of Health, as part of its preparedness initiative, conducted a field visit with some of its officials to contain the virus should it ever land on our shores.

"If this happens and we have one or two cases that we need to investigate, we will secure that area and move all the patients who have come to the centre to other facilities; we don't want to take the risk of other people coming into contact with those patients," said Seychelles Hospital Director Dr Kenneth Henriette.