Alert up against animals from Africa amid Ebola outbreak

In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 4, 2014, a public information board explains the symptoms of the deadly Ebola virus in the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone. The global Ebola outbreak touched American shores more definitively Monday, as Atlanta awaited the arrival of its second Ebola patient by morning, and a New York hospital announced it had isolated a man with possible symptoms who walked into its emergency room. AP

MANILA, Philippines—Wildlife authorities have been put on high alert against smuggled wild animals coming into the country from Africa in light of the deadly Ebola outbreak in parts of West Africa.

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said personnel of the Biodiversity Management Bureau at country’s airports and seaports would strictly check all kinds of imported animals, especially those coming from the Ebola-stricken countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

He said documented cases in Africa showed that the virus was transmitted to humans through handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or caught in the rainforests.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has stopped issuing permits for the importation of wild animals from Africa since 2006.

Despite the ban, Paje did not rule out that wild animals from the continent might have been illegally brought into the country.

He urged the public not to keep wild animals as pets due to the serious potential health risk.

“Keeping wild and exotic animals as pets threatens public health and safety. These animals can be carriers of zoonotic diseases or contagious diseases that spread between animals and humans,” Paje said.

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