Gov't to impose evacuation on Ebola-affected countries

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government will impose voluntary evacuation next month for Filipinos living in Ebola-affected countries, the Department of Foreign Affairs said today.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the government "is undertaking all necessary measures to protect the health and preserve the well-being of our nationals in keeping with the established protocols on managing the Ebola Virus Disease. "

"This includes preparations for raising to 3 the crisis alert level for the Ebola affected countries in West Africa effective mid-November 2014," Del Rosario said in a statement.

The Philippines currently maintains alert level 2 or restriction phase for Filipinos working in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea despite the continuing spike in Ebola cases.

A partial deployment ban for Filipinos in the affected countries under alert level 2 is also in place, the Department of Foreign Affairs said, adding that only those Filipinos with existing contracts are allowed to return there.

Some 10,741 Filipinos are living and working in the Ebola- stricken countries.

Ebola has a mortality rate between 60 and 96 percent. Its symptoms are fatigue, fever, headache, sore throat and muscle and joint pain.