Ebola Outbreak: WHO Confirms 50 New Cases, 25 More Deaths in West Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently confirmed 50 new cases affected by the Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa.

The Ebola outbreak death toll has also increased with 25 more deaths, according to a UN statement. The outbreak reportedly killed hundreds of people in three countries in West Africa: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

In a statement, WHO revealed the latest figures from the three countries, concerning the total number of cases and deaths from the epidemic.

Accumulated data from health ministries in the three countries revealed the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has now affected 844 people with 518 people killed since the epidemic began in February.

"Now, in the region, there is really an awareness that it's not a country problem but it's a regional problem and we have means to control it," WHO Spokesman Fadela Chaib said at a news conference in Geneva.

"If we strengthen the surveillance, if we work better than we did with the local communities to explain what is Ebola because there is still a lot of resistance from the population to cooperate with health workers," she added.

In a previous report, Liberia's Deputy Health Minister Bernice Dahn told Reuters that among the biggest challenges from the Ebola outbreak is the "denial, fear and panic" from people.

Adding to the challenge, Dahn noted there are "strict rules" to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus from contaminated corpses, but the rules are often being ignored by the West Africans.

WHO data noted the Ebola virus disease causes fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhea. It has also been cited the Ebola outbreaks have 90 percent fatality rate.

"We need really to work together in different fronts to control it and it's possible to control it," Chaib said.

"As of now, what I can tell you, Guinea since a few days, has not reported any new cases, but there are many other cases in Sierra Leone and Liberia."

Source: Reuters/UNTV