WHO: 'Drastic action is needed' now to stop Ebola epidemic

[Gert van der Hoek]

'Drastic action is needed' now to stop Ebola epidemic

(CNN) -- The World Health Organization says "drastic action is needed" to stop the deadly Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. It has sent teams of experts to help locals deal with the epidemic and WHO plans to meet next week to discuss how to contain it. Relief workers on the ground said the epidemic has hit unprecedented proportions.

"The epidemic is out of control," said Dr. Bart Janssens, director of operations for Doctors Without Borders.

There have been at least 600 cases and 360 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, according to a WHO statement released Thursday. That's since the epidemic began in March, according to the latest World Health Organization figures.

Complicating matters, these countries have major medical infrastructure challenges and there is a real sense of mistrust from communities there of the help that has been sent. In Sierra Leone and Guinea, WHO has said that community members have thrown stones at health care workers trying to investigate the outbreak.

Read more: CNN

See also: WHO calls for ‘drastic action’ on Ebola crisis

WHO - Ebola virus disease, West Africa – update

Disease Outbreak News - 24 June 2014

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: WHO: 'Drastic action is needed' now to stop Ebola epidemic

West African nations should be prepared for Ebola - WHO expert

Source: Reuters - Fri, 27 Jun 2014

GENEVA, June 27 (Reuters) - West African nations neighbouring those hit by the Ebola epidemic - Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Guinea Bissau - should prepare for the possible arrival of travellers carrying the deadly virus, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

"We want other countries in West Africa to be ready - bordering countries, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau - to prepare themselves in case people affected with the disease may be also travelling," WHO medical officer Dr. Pierre Formenty told a briefing in Geneva.

"GENEVA, June 27 (Reuters) - West African nations neighbouring those hit by the Ebola epidemic - Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Guinea Bissau - should prepare for the possible arrival of travellers carrying the deadly virus, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

"We want other countries in West Africa to be ready - bordering countries, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau - to prepare themselves in case people affected with the disease may be also travelling," WHO medical officer Dr. Pierre Formenty told a briefing in Geneva."

He said the U.N. health agency is not considering recommending travel or trade restrictions on the three countries, however.

"This is not out of hand," Formenty said.

More: Alertnet