While the mode of transmission varies from one virus to another, stigma and misinformation are common threads that determine how swiftly the epidemic is controlled, Piot said.
“He also shared that media attention has the power to make a significant difference in perceptions. In 1976, when the first Ebola outbreak took place, only a few short articles made it to international news, whereas in the age of 24 hour news channels and social media, connectivity should quicken the pace of reaching out to the public with “risk communication messages”, he said.
Noting that technology to tackle these emerging threats may be more advanced, he said the socially explosive situation that accompanies viruses needs to be tackled in equal measure.
President of Public Health Foundation of India K Srinath Reddy also spoke on the spread of infections and other issues.
(Sourced from agencies, feature image courtesy:oneindia.com)
