Any country with an international airport is at risk of Ebola virus

infection. This is the somber warning from the World Health Organization (WHO) in the wake of the deadly epidemic that now has the world on the edge of its collective seat.

With the widespread infection of Ebola virus reported in West Africa, international cooperation has become essential to prevent the expansion of this terrible disease. The WHO has declared the outbreak to be "a public health emergency of international concern" and recommended that countries take measures to prevent the spread of the virus, most notably by strengthening surveillance at airports, issuing travel advisories and raising awareness about the disease and its prevention. From Russia to Japan and even Finland, raising awareness of Ebola has become a health priority. Russia's Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov told Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) the risks of the virus are threatening the stability of the international community's development, calling on the members of APEC to become more active and work on the creation of an international branch of crisis centers. In Japan the Foreign Ministry issued information on the risk of infection in West Africa informing their nationals to postpone travel to the region unless deemed essential, while stressing vigilance at international borders. Finland has offered funds to the WHO and International Federation of the Red Cross for work against Ebola, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) chief Tom Frieden stressed the disease has to be stopped at its source in Africa. The CDC has moved to a "Level 1" response, indicating the government has increased staff and resources to address the virus spreading, and has sent about 50 people to West Africa to help, while the World Bank has pledged $200 million in assistance.

It is clear that the world is taking this outbreak seriously. It has no choice. West Africa clearly does not have the health resources and facilities to combat Ebola on its own, and exacerbating the situation is the fact that Ebola victims are highly infectious directly after death, meaning the West African burial rituals where families are called on to touch or kiss the bodies cause rapid spread of the disease. Getting information about basic disease prevention out across the region is paramount. China is deeply concerned about Ebola and has been at the forefront of sending teams of disease control experts to three Ebola-affected West African nations. In addition, China has gained much experience in the area of deadly viruses after having combatted outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the H7N9 bird flu virus in recent years - and this expertise is proving to be essential as the global community joins forces to combat the deadliest ever outbreak of this killer disease and recognizes the severity of Ebola.

THE EDITOR