Development

In her forties, Maimaïssatou Toure is a mother of six and an Ebola survivor from Forécariah Prefecture, Guinea. Known for her dynamism and courage, this woman devoted one year of her life to caring for children whose parents were infected by Ebola and admitted to the treatment centre in Forécariah.

Her story resembles that of many others who have been infected by the Ebola virus disease after contact with a close relative. Unlike some of her family members who were infected but did not survive, including her son, Maimaïssatou Toure beat Ebola after receiving care at the Conakry Donka-based Ebola treatment centre.

“After two weeks of treatment, I tested negative for Ebola and was authorized to go back home to my children and husband. As I expected, people in my neighbourhood avoided any contact with me. They were curious but no one dared coming close to me. What I went through opened my mind and I understood that Ebola patients need support.’’

The antibody, known as mAb114, was effective even when given five days after exposure to Ebola virus, researchers said. Although several clinical trials are in progress, there are currently no licenced therapies against Ebola virus.

A global health expert is sounding the alarm that an epidemic of Zika infections may be headed to western Africa, in countries ravaged over the past two years by Ebola. He says efforts to contain Zika are essential to head off another devastating public health emergency on the continent.

This week, a baby in Cape Verde, a Portuguese-speaking island off the northwestern coast of Africa, was born with the neurological defect microcephaly, a small head due to an undeveloped brain. Tests are still pending to see whether the birth defect was caused by Zika virus, a pathogen carried by mosquitoes.