The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that at least 1,500 people have died so far from the worst outbreak of the Ebola violence in history. 40 percent of all the cases have occurred in the past 21 days across countries in West Africa such as Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria.
Fatality rate stands at approximately 52 percent. "WHO and its partners are on the ground establishing Ebola treatment centres and strengthening capacity for laboratory testing, contact tracing, social mobilization, safe burials and non-Ebola health care," the update stated.
A BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy reported that the unprecedented outbreak "is out of control as medical agencies struggle to cope with the increasing number of cases on the ground and continue to face hostility from communities in certain affected areas."
Recently WHO announced that recent cases of the Ebola virus have been occurring in the Republic of Congo. Several humanitarian organizations and Christian groups including the Samaritan's Purse have been aiding patients in West Africa. Two American missionaries, Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol who were working together in Liberia were returned to the U.S. to receive treatment after being contaminated. Last month, the two missionaries were both treated and are now recovering.
A vaccine is still under development but the nature of the virus itself and after the contamination of several research facilities, research is becoming more and more difficult. Nigeria became the fourth nation to report deaths from the virus. Nigeria had to shut down their academic term in order to invest more time into finding a treatment for the Ebola.
Goodluck Jordan, the Nigerian president approved 11.7 million USD worth of funds to battle the virus in August and declared a national state of emergency.
