THE EBOLA VIRUS – 20,000 MORE MAY BE INFECTED BEFORE THE OUTBREAK IS HALTED

By

Sylvain Muyali

Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered the latest report of the Ebola epidemic, stating that with 3500 cases and over 1900 dead, it is a real runaway epidemic, attending and humanitarian experts reporting an increase of 15% in all cases and 30% in deaths in the last week alone.

Reports of those infected with Ebola are increasing in Liberia, the current epidemic in West Africa having already killed more people than previous outbreaks worldwide in the last 38 years.

Margaret Chan stated that it will take the health authorities at international level between six to nine months to halt the epidemic’s rise, adding that the outbreak is the “largest, most complex and most severe we’ve ever seen.” Dr David Nabarro of the United Nations estimates the cost of doing so at US $600 million.

The WHO nevertheless believes that “In the three countries where the Ebola outbreak is most intense (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone), the International Organization wants to reverse the trend of the infection within three months.” For the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Senegal, where there have been isolated cases of the virus, Chan stated that “We would stop the transmission located within eight weeks.”

Estimates by the World Health Organization predict that as many as 20,000 more people may die from Ebola during the stated next “six to nine months” before a cure can be found.

Sylvain Muyali

Sylvain Muyali is a Journalist, Photographer and Filmmaker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has reported previously for the Associated Press and his words and images can also be found at ‘Vivons Positivement‘