AfricaBreakingDailyGeneralHotWorld

Ebola Crisis in West Africa: Ebola Getting Worse as Death Toll Passes 1,900 in West Africa / Africa News

ebola crisis

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that more than 1,900 people have now died from the deadly Ebola disease in West Africa.

The deaths mainly occurred in the most three affected countries in West Africa- Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. Small number has also occurred in Nigeria.

More than 40% of the deaths are said to have occurred in the last three weeks as health workers in the affected countries are said to be turning patients away from health facilities due to fear of contracting the disease.

The disease has killed dozens of health workers in the affected countries and health experts say health workers are living in fear every passing day.

Earlier this week, World Health Organization warned that more than 20,000 people could contract the disease before it could be brought under control.

But Director-General of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan told the BBC African Service on Wednesday that the figure could go beyond what was projected previously and more time could be spent fighting the disease.

“The outbreaks are racing ahead of the control efforts in these countries, no one, even outbreak responders with experience dating back to 1976, to 1995, people that were directly involved with those outbreaks, none of them have ever seen anything like it,” she said.

She also added that there were more than 3,500 probable cases in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia and that the outbreak is the largest and most severe and most complex the world has ever seen.

The World Health Organization officials and health experts from the affected countries in West Africa will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday in Geneva to examine the most promising treatments against the disease.

The international medical charity group, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has also warned that the disease is getting out of control and that the United Nations needs to take drastic measures in combating it.

Meanwhile, The United Nations has responded that it has made available $600 million in supplies to control the disease. Ghana has been chosen as the supply hub for the Ebola logistics.

The US Department of Health and Human Services has announced in addition that a federal contract worth up to $42.3 million have been made available for the acceleration and testing of an experimental treatment against the diseases. The US is also sending 50 experts public health doctors to West Africa to help fight the disease.

Health experts say Ebola’s initial symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, high fever, general weakness, and starts from areas like the eyes and gums. It then leads to internal bleeding and systematic organs failure in the body. Patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.

The disease was said to have mainly spread because victims had come into direct contact with the affected persons.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

Writer’s Email Address: Adamsisska@googlemail.com

[adrotate group=”15″]

 

 

 

More

Related Articles

Bir yanıt yazın

Başa dön tuşu
Breaking News