Ebola outbreak now most deadly ever in West Africa
Jennifer Lazuta
USA TODAY
June 28, 2014
DAKAR, Senegal — West Africa’s first-ever Ebola outbreak in humans is now the most deadly and geographically widespread outbreak on record, and is threatening to spread, health officials say.
According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been more than 635 cases of Ebola across three countries in the region since the outbreak was first declared in southeastern Guinea in March. It has since spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. At least 399 people have died.
“It’s very much a serious outbreak,” said Daniel Epstein, spokesperson for the WHO. “I wouldn’t say it’s out of control but the emergence of this outbreak definitely threatens regional public health security. We’ve ramped up our response, in so far as we can, but we have to continue to improve our work to contain this outbreak.”
About 150 WHO experts are now on the ground, working alongside local health ministries and clinics as well as international partners to stop the transmission chain, prevent new cases and treat those currently affected.
WHO announced Friday that key players from 11 countries in the region will meet in Ghana starting Wednesday to discuss the outbreak, as well as how countries in the region can work together to step up response efforts.
Many challenges to fighting the virus have developed, stirring concern the outbreak could get worse due to ignorance, the free movement of peoples, local customs and suspicion of foreigner doctors.
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