Ebola challenges West African countries as WHO ramps up response

The emergence of an Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa in 2014 has become a challenge to the 3 countries involved, as the Governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone work intensively with WHO and other partners to ramp up a series of measures to control the outbreak. Since March 2014, more than 600 cases of Ebola and over 390 deaths have been reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. While the number of suspected, probable and confirmed cases and deaths changes rapidly, the outbreak is causing concern among health authorities because the deadly disease is being transmitted in communities and in health-care settings, and it has appeared in cities as well as rural and border areas. The disease, which causes severe haemorrhaging and can kill up to 90% of those infected, is spread by direct contact with the blood and body fluids of infected animals or people.
Source: WHO Emergencies and Disasters - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: ebola haemhorragic fever, ebola virus, ebola fever, ebola virus disease, ebola haemhorragic fever, ebola virus, ebola fever, ebola virus disease, emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparednes Source Type: news