A rapper in white doctor's scrubs reels off life-saving advice on Ebola to the sound of a hip-hop anthem, one of the many African artists putting their talents to work to fight the killer virus.
Upbeat songs and caustic cartoons have cropped up across Ebola-hit west Africa and beyond to spread a public health message that the authorities often struggle to convey.
Ebola knows no borders, Senegal's Xuman warns in "Ebola Est La" (Ebola Is Here), a parody of the hit "Umbrella" by Rihanna and Jay-Z released after Senegal's first case of the disease in August.
"The disease is among our neighbours, Liberians and Guineans," warns the rapper clad in medical garb and white gloves, in a video seen more than 20,000 times on YouTube.
"We thought it was far away, that there was no need to worry, but... even if the border is closed, it still came."
The worst ever outbreak of the haemorrhagic fever, for which there is no known cure, has killed more than 3,000 people, most of them in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, since the start of the year.
Slick music videos -- many featuring graphic imagery, computer animation and teams of actors -- depict Ebola's terrible symptoms, starting with fever, vomiting, cough and diarrhoea and progressing in some fatal cases to unstoppable internal and external bleeding.
And they hand out precious, detailed advice on avoiding the disease, warning how it can spread by contact with bodily fluids and by touching the sick or dead.
"No need to fear, just be aware. Prevention is better, wiser and cheaper. Always wash your hands with soap and with water," chants John Allu in his "Stop Ebola Virus Campaign Song" from Nigeria, where the disease has killed eight people.
'Don't eat the meat'
Liberia's Samuel "Shadow" Morgan highlights the threat from bush meat -- wild animals whose flesh is considered a delicacy but which health experts say are a likely vector of the disease.
"If you like the monkey, don't eat the meat, if you like the baboon, I said don't eat the meat, if you like the bat, don't eat the meat," he chants to an afro-beat tune in "Ebola in Town".
The dance track, a joint effort with musicians D-12 and Kuzzy of 2Kings that has racked up more than 200,000 YouTube hits, claims Ebola is proving "worse than AIDS".
While Ivory Coast has so far been spared, journalist Israel Yoroba's reggae track "Stop Ebola" has become a local hit, played on the radio and picked up as a holding music by a telephone operator.
Yoruba stresses the importance of getting tested at the slightest Ebola-like symptom, and reporting any suspected cases.
The twice-monthly magazine Codivoirien recently ran a cover cartoon depicting a terrified patient with his trousers down while a doctor -- seeking to avoid contact -- prepares to give him in an injection using a slingshot.
In similar vein, Damien Glez, a French-Burkinabe satirist, drew a cartoon of an unfortunate African placed in Ebola quarantine -- under a giant condom.
It is hard to gauge the impact of singers and cartoonists who mainly use French and English, languages less prevalent in rural Africa.
But in a notable exception, a Senegalese group called Y'en a Marre (Fed Up) sings "Stop Ebola" in Wolof, Senegal's most widely spoken language.
'Shoot on sight!'
A key part of containing the disease is convincing people it is "real", as Liberian former football star and one-time presidential candidate George Weah sings in "We Must All Arise to Fight Ebola".
Conspiracy theories have suggested Ebola was introduced by whites to decimate Africa's black population, or deliberately spread by local and foreign health workers. In mid-September, eight health workers and journalists were murdered in Guinea as a result.
Even in the DR Congo, where Ebola was discovered in 1976 and where the virus has returned for a seventh time, though in a different strain from the one ravaging west Africa, fears persist over quarantine procedures.
Ebola is depicted as public enemy number one in a drawing by Congolese cartoonist Kash, with an armed man in a gas mask standing in a street in northwestern DR Congo where the epidemic has killed 42 since August, saying: "Shoot on sight!"
Kash said journalists returning from a festival in Guinea in February, just before the epidemic took hold, played down the Ebola threat.
"I said to myself that if journalists didn't believe (the threat was real), imagine what it's like in remote villages," he said.
So when Ebola broke out in his home country, Kash took pen to paper.
"If that can raise people's awareness and make public authorities do something, it's a good thing."
AFP
Thu Oct 02 2014
![Rappers tune up the fight against Ebola Rappers tune up the fight against Ebola](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-08/81407898056_295x200.jpg)
Ebola's symptoms start with fever, vomiting, cough and diarrhoea and progress in some fatal cases to unstoppable internal and external bleeding.
Tumpuan Isnin – 08 Julai 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
'Jeff' dinobat siput terpantas dunia, menang Kejohanan Dunia Lumba Siput
Tahun ini, siput bernama Jeff dinobatkan sebagai pemenang, menang saingan akhir dengan masa 4 minit dan 3 saat. Begitupun, kepantasan Jeff tidak dapat memadam rekod yang dibuat pada tahun 1995 oleh seekor siput bernama Archie.
![Pentadbiran Prabowo-Gibran dijangka perkukuh industri sawit Indonesia Pentadbiran Prabowo-Gibran dijangka perkukuh industri sawit Indonesia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81720368598_TBPrabowo.jpg)
Pentadbiran Prabowo-Gibran dijangka perkukuh industri sawit Indonesia
Kerajaan baharu yang akan dipimpin oleh Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka dijangka memperkukuh daya saing produk minyak sawit sebagai komoditi strategik untuk pasaran domestik dan antarabangsa.
![Kanak-kanak lelaki maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik Kanak-kanak lelaki maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-01/61706067730_TBgarisanpolis.jpg)
Kanak-kanak lelaki maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik
Seorang kanak-kanak lelaki berusia sembilan tahun maut selepas terjatuh ke dalam tasik dipercayai ketika sedang mencari lokan di Taman Tasik Teratai Fasa 2 Serendah, Hulu Selangor.
Ribuan umat Islam zahir solidariti kepada Palestin di Shah Alam
Bertemakan Gaza Bangkit, program pada Ahad malam itu turut mengundang pendakwah dari Indonesia, Ustaz Abdul Somad Batubara untuk menyampaikan ceramah.
NGO, belia perlu ambil iktibar peristiwa hijrah - PM
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyeru pertubuhan bukan kerajaan dan gerakan belia mengambil iktibar daripada peristiwa Hijrah Nabi Muhammad SAW untuk mengembalikan kegemilangan negara.
Kehadiran ATM di Timur Sabah berikan keyakinan masyarakat setempat
Kehadiran pasukan Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) di Timur Sabah meningkatkan keyakinan masyarakat setempat serta merancakkan lagi pembangunan sektor pelancongan, ekonomi dan sosial di kawasan itu.
![Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/61703329565_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 7 Julai 2024.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/71709993909_TBBERITAx.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 7 Julai 2024.
Enam cedera hari pertama Festival Larian Lembu di Sepanyol
Meskipun ada yang cedera, acara tersebut sentiasa mendapat perhatian dan tahun ini, ratusan orang mengejar enam ekor lembu jantan di bandar itu.
![Uganda laksana sekatan perjalanan, perintah berkurung bendung Ebola Uganda laksana sekatan perjalanan, perintah berkurung bendung Ebola](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-10/41665892483_TBebolauganda.jpg)
Uganda laksana sekatan perjalanan, perintah berkurung bendung Ebola
Museveni berkata perintah berkurung di laksanakan di daerah berkenaan dari 7 malam hingga 6 pagi waktu tempatan.
![Ghana sahkan kes pertama virus Marburg Ghana sahkan kes pertama virus Marburg](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-07/81658103930_Marburgvirus.jpg)
Ghana sahkan kes pertama virus Marburg
Virus yang amat mudah berjangkit itu dikatakan daripada keluarga sama dengan virus penyebab Ebola.
![Tanzania siasat penyakit misteri ragut tiga nyawa Tanzania siasat penyakit misteri ragut tiga nyawa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-07/61657767592_Tanzania.jpg)
Tanzania siasat penyakit misteri ragut tiga nyawa
Gejala penyakit itu termasuk demam, sakit kepala, keletihan dan pendarahan hidung, kata Ketua Pegawai Perubatan negara berkenaan, Aifello Sichalwe dalam satu kenyataan.
![WHO mesyuarat minggu depan kaji penularan cacar monyet WHO mesyuarat minggu depan kaji penularan cacar monyet](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2018-09/51536705016_Monkeypox.jpg)
WHO mesyuarat minggu depan kaji penularan cacar monyet
Sehingga kini, 1,600 kes cacar monyet direkodkan di 39 negara dengan 72 kematian.
![Congo umum berakhirnya wabak Ebola yang meragut 6 nyawa Congo umum berakhirnya wabak Ebola yang meragut 6 nyawa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/41613267830_Ebolavaccine.jpg)
Congo umum berakhirnya wabak Ebola yang meragut 6 nyawa
Wabak itu berjaya dibendung menggunakan vaksin Ebola Merck (MRK.N) yang diberikan kepada lebih 1,600 pesakit dan kontak rapat.
![Ebola: 4 dilapor meninggal dunia di Guinea, korban pertama sejak 2016 Ebola: 4 dilapor meninggal dunia di Guinea, korban pertama sejak 2016](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/41613267830_Ebolavaccine.jpg)
Ebola: 4 dilapor meninggal dunia di Guinea, korban pertama sejak 2016
Insiden kematian itu amat membimbangkan kerana wabak yang muncul semula selepas lima tahun dari 2013 hingga 2016 itu pernah meragut 11,300 nyawa.
![Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-01/61609513765_BAP.jpg)
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Selasa, 9 Februari 2021.
![Congo umum penularan semula jangkitan Ebola Congo umum penularan semula jangkitan Ebola](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2019-07/81563440357_TBEbolaxjpg.jpg)
Congo umum penularan semula jangkitan Ebola
Kes jangkitan terbaharu dikenal pastu selepas seorang wanita di bandar Biena wilayah Lubero meninggal dunia akibat penyakit itu.
![COVID-19: Afrika berdepan gelombang kedua COVID-19: Afrika berdepan gelombang kedua](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-07/61595945919_coronaviruseconomic.jpg)
COVID-19: Afrika berdepan gelombang kedua
Sejak 28 hari lalu, kes dilaporkan meningkat di 19 negara di rantau berkenaan, termasuk Ghana, Kenya, Angola dan Algeria.
![COVID-19: WHO tidak akan syor sebarang vaksin sebelum terbukti selamat COVID-19: WHO tidak akan syor sebarang vaksin sebelum terbukti selamat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-04/71587420192_TedrosAdhanomGhebr.jpg)
COVID-19: WHO tidak akan syor sebarang vaksin sebelum terbukti selamat
Kenyataan menyusul perkembangan terbaharu di mana Rusia dan China mula menggunakan vaksin sebelum kajian jangka panjang selesai.