Could Ebola Reach Mexico? Mexican Health Official Says 'No Way'

The Director of Epidemiology at the Mexican Ministry of Health, Cuitláhuac Ruiz Matus, said that there is "not even a remote possibility" that Ebola could reach Mexico, because, although this virus has generated a major outbreak in African countries, it is not easily spread like flu or influenza. In an interview with Notimex, the specialist noted that the world is facing one of the largest outbreaks in the history of this virus, first identified in 1976 in the Center-West (Sudan and Congo) of Africa.

He explained that there are five Ebola subviruses and that four of them can cause disease in humans. One of the carriers of this virus is the fruit bat and unfortunately there is no vaccine or treatment. "The problem with this disease is related to its lethality, ie, the number of patients who die, can go from 20 to 90 percent, and today there is no specific treatment for this virus, nor is there a vaccine," said Ruiz Matus.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of July 27 more than 1,300 cases had been reported, including 729 people who died in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. "However, given the characteristics of transmission and preventive measures for this virus it is quite unlikely that it will spread, either in Mexico, or elswehere in world geography," he said. Symptoms of the disease include a sudden fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache vomiting and diarrhea.