Ebola Death Toll Nears 3,000 in West Africa, Says WHO
Virus Is Widespread in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, Says United Nations Agency
By Andrew Morse
WSJ.com
Sept. 25, 2014
ZURICH—Nearly 3,000 people have died from the current outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa and the situation has continued to deteriorate in some areas, the World Health Organization said.
The United Nations’ health agency said in a report dated Wednesday that 2,917 people had likely died from the disease as of Sept. 21, 2014. A total of 6,263 people had confirmed, suspected or probable cases of the disease.
The disease, which causes a high fever and internal bleeding, is considered to be widespread in three of the region’s countries—Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the WHO said. There is localized transmission in Nigeria and Senegal.
The situation in Sierra Leone has continued to deteriorate amid a sharp increase in cases in the capital of Freetown, the agency said, adding that a drop in reported cases in Kailahun and Kenema required further investigation “to confirm whether this fall is genuine.”
The WHO also challenged a report that no new cases have been found in the Liberian capital of Monrovia, which had experienced a surge in the disease in recent weeks. “These data differ from credible reports obtained from responders in Liberia, who indicate a deterioration of the situation in the country, and in Monrovia in particular,” the WHO said.
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