Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to speak to the House about the tragic outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, and the steps the Government of Canada is taking to ensure Canadians here at home remain safe and protected.
The Ebola situation in West Africa has been devastating. My thoughts are with those who are affected by this. The Government of Canada is closely monitoring the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and working closely with our international partners to support the response and to help those who are suffering. Thankfully, we have learned that while Ebola outbreaks have generally had a case fatality rate of up to 90%, this particular outbreak has shown a survival rate of 47%.
While this current outbreak in West Africa has been ongoing since December 2013, Ebola first appeared in 1976. The House and all Canadians should be reassured that in all this time there has never been a case of Ebola in Canada. The risk to Canadians is very low. The outbreak continues to be confined to several countries in West Africa.
Even if a case of Ebola were to arrive in Canada, it would not be able to spread easily. There are a number of reasons for this.
First, Ebola spreads in the community through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. The scientific evidence shows that Ebola is not airborne and cannot be transmitted through casual contact. The Ebola virus does not spread like a common cold or influenza or even like SARS. Furthermore, it cannot be spread by a person who is not showing any symptoms.
Second, the situation and environmental context in West Africa is radically different from that in Canada. Our hospitals in Canada have sophisticated infection control systems and procedures in place that are designed to limit the spread of infection, protect the health care workers and provide the best possible care for patients. In contrast, the West African countries that are affected have limited resources to respond to a prolonged outbreak, especially in rural areas. In the health care infrastructure, greatly in the countries and communities affected, there is a lack of personal protective equipment and, tragically, outbreak control strategies have been met with distrust due to fear and misinformation.
Despite the fact that the risk to Canadians is very low, the Government of Canada remains vigilant and is taking concerted action to ensure Canadians continue to be protected against the Ebola virus. This includes maintaining our preparedness to detect, investigate and mange people with Ebola virus in the unlikely event that a case were to appear in Canada. We are well prepared.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has recommended that Canadians avoid all non-essential travel to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone due to the outbreak. As well, public health notices have been issued for Nigeria and Senegal recommending that travellers take special precautions.
For those who must travel, I must reiterate that the risks remain low. To date, there has not been one confirmed Ebola case contracted on an airplane anywhere in the world. Furthermore, there are no direct flights between Canada and the countries affected by the Ebola outbreak, further reducing the risk to the rest of the Canadian public.
The government is ensuring that Canadian travellers know how to protect themselves and what they need to do if they begin to experience symptoms of illness. It is recommended that those travelling in affected areas monitor their health carefully and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms that could be associated with Ebola within three weeks of returning.
Canada is well prepared to identify and manage ill travellers. The Quarantine Act is administered by the Public Health Agency of Canada 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at all points of entry into Canada. Technical guidance and protocol have been shared with provinces and territories and with the transportation sector to detect and manage suspected cases of Ebola infection. Front-line staff have been trained to screen international travellers arriving in Canada for communicable diseases and to refer any traveller suspected of being ill to quarantine officers. Under the Quarantine Act, officers have the authority to implement the appropriate public health measures to ensure public safety.
From there, a strong network of laboratories stands at the ready to detect and respond quickly in the unlikely event that a case of Ebola arrives in Canada.
While maintaining our domestic vigilance, the Government of Canada is also involved in an international early warning system that detects reports of outbreaks and emergencies from around the world. The Government of Canada is keeping frequent contact with the WHO and other international partners and authorities responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Some Canadians were unnerved to hear the media reports over the past few weeks of suspected cases of Ebola in Canada from people who had travelled to West Africa. In every case, the individuals suspected of being infected with the Ebola virus were identified, isolated, investigated by the public health authorities and tested for the Ebola virus by the Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.
While each case turned out to be negative, these cases tested our responsive capability and demonstrated to Canadians that we were ready to respond and that our systems were working. We have learned from our experiences with SARS and the H1N1 influenza pandemic, and we are applying those learnings to how we prepare for future outbreaks.
Canada should be proud of its world-class researchers and science capacity. It was our very own scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory who developed an experimental vaccine for the Ebola virus. The Government of Canada has offered a donation of 800 to 1,000 doses of this experimental vaccine to the WHO. We are committed to supporting the efforts of our international partners to control the Ebola outbreak, and we hope that the experimental vaccine will help to address this global crisis.
Canada is keeping a small supply of the experimental vaccine to conduct research and clinical trials on safety and efficacy. We will also keep some doses in the unlikely event that it is needed in Canada. At the same time, Canada continues to work with our international partners to explore the significant legal and ethical issues on the use of experimental vaccines and therapies in humans. The Public Health Agency of Canada is working with Health Canada to develop the Canadian protocol for this compassionate use of the vaccine.
Canada should also be proud of our humanitarian support to address the spread of Ebola in West Africa, including significant funding and the deployment of Canadian experts to assist on the ground.
While the situation and the media reports from West Africa are quite dire, I want to reiterate that the risk to Canadians is very low. There has never been a case of Ebola in Canada. The Ebola virus does not spread easily from person to person, and it cannot be transmitted by casual contact. The Government of Canada is already taking action and will continue to take action to prepare and protect Canadians against the Ebola virus and other infectious disease threats.
I would like to close by extending my heartfelt condolences to those affected in West Africa and by encouraging Canadians to support international relief organizations working in this area.