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Forum: ​General Commission 3
Issue: Prevention and control of epidemic and pandemic diseases with special emphasis on
the Zika and Ebola virus
Student Officer​: Emir Eskicioğlu
Position: ​President
Introduction
A ​Pandemic​ is an ​epidemic​ of ​infectious disease​ that has spread through human populations
across a large region; for instance multiple ​continents​, or even worldwide. A widespread
endemic​ disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a
pandemic. Further, ​flu pandemics​ generally exclude recurrences of ​seasonal flu​. Throughout
history, there have been a number of pandemics, such as ​smallpox​ and ​tuberculosis​. An
epidemic is the rapid spread of ​infectious disease​ to a large number of people in a given
population within a short period of time, usually two weeks or less​.Ziku and Ebola are two
different pandemic/epidemic diseases that have harmed and still continues to damage many
committees around the world specifically Africa.
Definition Of Key Terms
EVD- Ebola virus disease
Ebola HF- Ebola hemorrhagic fever
Infection- an ​infecting​ with germs of disease, as through the medium of ​infected insects​, air,
water, or clothing.
Background Information
Ebola
The Ebola virus causes an acute, serious illness which is often fatal if untreated. Ebola
virus disease (EVD) first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, one in what is
now, Nzara, South Sudan, and the other in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The
latter occurred in a village near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.
The current outbreak in West Africa, (first cases notified in March 2014), is the largest
and most complex Ebola outbreak since the Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976.
There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined. It has
also spread between countries starting in Guinea then spreading across land bord
ers
to Sierra Leone and Liberia, by air (1 traveller) to Nigeria and USA (1 traveller), and by
land to Senegal (1 traveller) and Mali (2 travellers).
Zika
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in
monkeys through a network that monitored yellow fever. It was later identified in humans
in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease
have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. From the 1960s to
1980s, human infections were found across Africa and Asia, typically accompanied by
mild illness. The first large outbreak
The first large outbreak of disease caused by Zika infection was reported from the Island
of Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) in 2007.
In July 2015 Brazil reported an association between Zika virus infection and
Guillain-Barré syndrome. In October 2015 Brazil reported an association between Zika
virus infection and microcephaly.
Preventing Disease
Protection against mosquito bites​ is a key measure to prevent Zika virus infection. This
can be done by wearing clothes (preferably light-coloured) that cover as much of the body
as possible.For regions with active transmission of Zika virus, all people with Zika virus
infection and their sexual partners (particularly pregnant women) should receive
information about the risks of sexual transmission of Zika virus. For Ebola prevention,
Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats
or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat.Outbreak containment measures,
including prompt and safe burial of the dead, identifying people who may have been in
contact with someone infected with Ebola and monitoring their health for 21 days
Treatment
Zika virus disease is usually mild and requires no specific treatment. People sick with Zika
virus should get plenty of rest, drink enough fluids, and treat pain and fever with common
medicines. If symptoms worsen, they should seek medical care and advice. There is
currently no vaccine available.
For Ebola, Supportive care-rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids- and treatment of
specific symptoms, improves survival. There is as yet no proven treatment available for
EVD. However, a range of potential treatments including blood products, immune
therapies and drug therapies are currently being evaluated. No licensed vaccines are
available yet, but 2 potential vaccines are undergoing human safety testing.
WHO Response
WHO aims to prevent Ebola outbreaks by maintaining surveillance for Ebola virus disease
and supporting at-risk countries to developed preparedness plans. The document provides
overall guidance for control of Ebola and Marburg virus outbreaks.
WHO is supporting countries to control Zika virus disease by taking actions outlined in
the “Zika Strategic Response Framework":Define and prioritize research into Zika virus
disease by convening experts and partners. Enhance surveillance of Zika virus and
potential complications.Strengthen capacity in risk communication to engage communities
to better understand risks associated with Zika virus.
Timeline Of Important Events
Ebola
22 March 2014
Guinea reports that the fever has been confirmed as Ebola, and has already killed 59 people.
There are already concerns that it may have spread to neighbouring ​Sierra Leone​.
26 May 2014
Ebola has reached Sierra Leone, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirms. 27 July
2014
Liberia shuts down most of its border crossings. ​Dr Sheik Umar Khan​, who played a
pioneering role in Sierra Leone’s response to the virus, dies two days later after becoming
infected.
8 August 2014
The WHO declares Ebola an ​“international health emergency”​. Four days later, the death toll
exceeds 1,000.
5 September 2014
With the pace of the epidemic accelerating, WHO figures suggest that 2,100 people have died
from a total of around 4,000 who are thought to have been infected.
14 October 2014
WHO announces that the ​fatality rate from Ebola has reached 70%​, with the total number of
deaths so far topping 4,447.
Ziku
1947: Scientists researching yellow fever in Uganda's Zika Forest identify
the virus in a rhesus monkey
1948: Virus recovered from Aedes africanus mosquito in Zika Forest
1952: First human cases detected in Uganda and Tanzania
2007: Zika spreads from Africa and Asia, first large outbreak on Pacific
island of Yap
2012: Researchers identify two distinct lineages of the virus, African and
Asian
2013-14: Zika outbreaks in French Polynesia, Easter Island, the Cook Islands
and New Caledonia. Retrospective analysis shows possible link to birth defects
and severe neurological complications in babies in French Polynesia
Nov. 11: Brazil declares public health emergency
November 2015-January 2016: Cases reported in Suriname, Panama, El Salvador,Mexico,
Guatemala, Paraguay, Venezuela, French Guiana, Martinique, Puerto Rico,
Guyana, Ecuador, Barbados, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Feb. 1: World Health Organization (WHO) declares public health emergency of
international concern.
Possible Solutions
Patient placement
Patients should be placed in a single-patient room (containing a private bathroom) with the
door closed. A log of persons entering the room should be maintained. Facilities may
consider posting personnel at the patient’s door to ensure appropriate and consistent use of
PPE by all persons entering the room.
Healthcare provider protection
Healthcare providers should wear protective clothing at a minimum to include masks, gloves,
gowns (fluid resistant or impermeable), and eye protection. Additional PPE, such as double
gloving, disposable shoe covers or leg coverings, might be required in certain situations, e.g.,
copious amounts of blood, other body fluids, vomit, or feces present in the environment.
Proper training and competency in donning and doffing of PPE key for safety.
Aerosol-generating procedures
Avoid aerosol-generating procedures. If performing these procedures, PPE should include
respiratory protection (N95 filtering facepiece respirator or higher) and the procedure should
be performed in an airborne isolation room.
Environmental infection control
Diligent environmental cleaning and disinfection and safe handling of potentially
contaminated materials is paramount, as blood, sweat, emesis, feces and other body
secretions represent potentially infectious materials. The CDC recommend the use of a U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered hospital disinfectant with a label claim
for a non-enveloped virus (e.g.,adenovirus, poliovirus) to disinfect environmental surfaces in
rooms of patients with suspected or confirmed virus infection.
Bibliography
1. http://solutionsdesignedforhealthcare.com/ebola
2. https://ebolaresponse.un.org
3. https://www.cdc.gov/zika/