DEADLY EBOLA STRIKES MORE PEOPLE IN WEST AFRICA West Africas Ebola epidemic is completely out of control, with more than 60 outbreaks across three nations and doctors overwhelmed by the number of infected and dying, a global health charity has said. Ebola is one of the world’s most deadly diseases, highly infectious and likely to kill 90% of those who catch it. The epidemic has caused widespread terror in infected communities across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. It is the worst epidemic of the virus in history, with 467 people dead, and almost 300 other suspected or confirmed cases. The number of infections jumped by 38% in between June 25 and July 2, according to the World Health Organisation. Bodies of victims remain infectious even after death, and traditional methods of burial , involving the manual washing of the body, has been identified as one of the key factors in passing on the disease. Liberian authorities have promised those suspected of hiding Ebola patients will face arrest, after it was rumoured that faith healers were taking patients from hospitals to take them for special prayers and to administer traditional medicine. In Liberia, our biggest challenge is denial, fear and panic. Our people are very much afraid of the disease... but do not believe that the disease exists and because of that people get sick and the community members hide them and bury them, against all the norms we have put in place, said Bernice Dahn, Liberias deputy health minister. No specific treatment or vaccination is available for Ebola, which causes the sudden onset of fever, feeling weak, muscle pain, headaches and a sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 07:54:33 +0000
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