Ebola Numbers Could Touch 20,000

Ebola Numbers Could Touch 20,000

Geneva: The number of people infected with the Ebola virus in Western Africa could reach
20,000, six times more than the current estimates, the World Health Organisation (WHO)
warned Thursday.
This is one of the main conclusions the WHO presented Thursday in its assessment of the
epidemic, in which suggestions and guidelines to contain the virus are included.
To date, WHO has recorded 3,069 cases of Ebola virus disease and 1,552 deaths in West Africa
(Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and, to a lesser extent, Nigeria).
The UN body believes that the countries affected by the virus should take action aimed at
strengthening laboratories, medical staff and the ability to respond to those in critical
situation.
Some particular areas require urgent action, such as infection control training, the NGO
added.
The WHO assumed that if the correct emergency programmes are applied, West African
countries may contain the contagion in a period of eight weeks.
The organisation estimates that $490 million are needed in the next six months in order to
implement contingency plans to contain the virus.
This budget does not include money needed to maintain essential services in the most affected
countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone), along with the costs to restore damaged sanitation
facilities.
Ebola, which is transmitted by direct contact with blood and bodily fluids of infected persons or
animals, causes severe bleeding and can have a mortality rate of 90 percent.