Biggest Ever Weekly Rise in Ebola Cases
About 500 new infections reported across West Africa, including first case in Senegal
By HealthDay staff
WebMD.com
FRIDAY, Aug. 29, 2014
The West African Ebola outbreak took a more deadly turn Friday with the World Health Organization announcing an estimated 500 new cases this week — the biggest jump in infections so far.
Most of the new cases arose in Liberia, the U.N. health agency said, but cases in Guinea and Sierra Leone also rose sharply, the Associated Press reported.
“There are serious problems with case management and infection prevention and control,” according to the WHO report. “The situation is worsening in Liberia and Sierra Leone.”
Senegal — a prime tourist destination in the region — has also now recorded its first case, an infected university student from Guinea who sought treatment at a hospital in Senegal’s capital city, Dakar, the AP reported.
According to Senegal’s Health Minister, Awa Marie Coll Seck, the young man had had contact with Ebola patients in Guinea and has now been placed under quarantine. Tests have confirmed he is infected with Ebola virus, the AP said.
The news follows a WHO update released on Thursday that warned that the deadly Ebola outbreak hitting five West African nations could eventually infect more than 20,000 people.
Already the largest Ebola outbreak ever, the viral infection has produced 3,069 cases so far and killed 1,552 people in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, with Senegal now added to that list.
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