Ebola outbreak in West Africa is deadliest ever
“OUT of control.” That is how aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has described the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
The epidemic, which began in Guinea at the beginning of the year, has spread to 60 locations, including some in Sierra Leone and Liberia. According to the World Health Organization, the virus, which causes fever, diarrhoea and internal bleeding, has infected 567 people, with 350 deaths.
That is a higher death toll than any other outbreak since the virus first infected humans in Africa in 1976. MSF says that people are frightened but view health facilities with suspicion. There is limited understanding that the disease spreads from person to person through body fluids.
If those infected are rehydrated rapidly they can recover, but MSF say it is overextended and can no longer send teams to new outbreaks.
“There are a lot of cases – we are really stretched. My worry is that this is the tip of the iceberg,” says Anja Wolz, MSF emergency coordinator. “Education and training are key to stopping this outbreak, so we are telling people what to look for and how they can prevent further spread. There are still a lot of people in the region who don’t believe that Ebola exists.”
Stopping the disease from spreading further is vitally important. At the moment, the virus is not readily transmissible, but a large outbreak gives it more chances to evolve to spread more easily between humans.
The epidemic, which began in Guinea at the beginning of the year, has spread to 60 locations, including some in Sierra Leone and Liberia. According to the World Health Organization, the virus, which causes fever, diarrhoea and internal bleeding, has infected 567 people, with 350 deaths.
That is a higher death toll than any other outbreak since the virus first infected humans in Africa in 1976. MSF says that people are frightened but view health facilities with suspicion. There is limited understanding that the disease spreads from person to person through body fluids.
If those infected are rehydrated rapidly they can recover, but MSF say it is overextended and can no longer send teams to new outbreaks.
“There are a lot of cases – we are really stretched. My worry is that this is the tip of the iceberg,” says Anja Wolz, MSF emergency coordinator. “Education and training are key to stopping this outbreak, so we are telling people what to look for and how they can prevent further spread. There are still a lot of people in the region who don’t believe that Ebola exists.”
Stopping the disease from spreading further is vitally important. At the moment, the virus is not readily transmissible, but a large outbreak gives it more chances to evolve to spread more easily between humans.
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