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W.H.O. Declares Ebola in West Africa a Health Emergency W.H.O. Declares Ebola in West Africa a Health Emergency
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — Facing the worst known outbreak of the Ebola virus, with almost 1,000 fatalities in West Africa, the World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency on Friday, demanding an “extraordinary” response — only the third such declaration of its kind since regulations permitting such alarms were adopted in 2007.LONDON — Facing the worst known outbreak of the Ebola virus, with almost 1,000 fatalities in West Africa, the World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency on Friday, demanding an “extraordinary” response — only the third such declaration of its kind since regulations permitting such alarms were adopted in 2007.
The organization stopped short of saying there should be general international travel or trade bans, but acknowledged that the outbreak, already in its sixth month, was far from being contained.The organization stopped short of saying there should be general international travel or trade bans, but acknowledged that the outbreak, already in its sixth month, was far from being contained.
One major international medical organization, Doctors Without Borders, responded to the statement with a renewed call for a “massive deployment” of health specialists to the stricken countries. “Lives are being lost because the response is too slow,” it said.One major international medical organization, Doctors Without Borders, responded to the statement with a renewed call for a “massive deployment” of health specialists to the stricken countries. “Lives are being lost because the response is too slow,” it said.
Margaret Chan, the World Health Organization’s director general, told a news conference at the body’s Geneva headquarters, “This is the largest, most severe, most complex outbreak in the nearly four-decade history of the disease.” Dr. Margaret F.C. Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization, told a news conference at the body’s Geneva headquarters, “This is the largest, most severe, most complex outbreak in the nearly four-decade history of the disease.”
“I am declaring the current outbreak of the Ebola virus disease a public health emergency of international concern,” she said. “Countries affected to date simply don’t have the capacity to manage an outbreak on this scale on their own.”“I am declaring the current outbreak of the Ebola virus disease a public health emergency of international concern,” she said. “Countries affected to date simply don’t have the capacity to manage an outbreak on this scale on their own.”
Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the health organization’s s head of health security, said that “things will get worse for a while,” and that “we are fully prepared for addressing this for some months.” Dr. Keiji Fukuda, head of health security for the health organization, said that “things will get worse for a while,” and that “we are fully prepared for addressing this for some months.”
The W.H.O. urged all states where the disease is spreading to declare a state of emergency, to screen all people leaving at international airports, seaports and land crossings, and to prevent travel by anyone suspected of having the Ebola virus. The W.H.O. urged all states where the disease is spreading to declare an emergency, to screen all people leaving at international airports, seaports and land crossings, and to prevent travel by anyone suspected of having the Ebola virus.
But the organization did not recommend a ban on travel to or from places with outbreaks because of the low risk of infection. “We don’t believe a general ban on that kind of travel makes any kind of sense at all,” Dr. Fukuda said.But the organization did not recommend a ban on travel to or from places with outbreaks because of the low risk of infection. “We don’t believe a general ban on that kind of travel makes any kind of sense at all,” Dr. Fukuda said.
The declaration was apparently intended to display a more aggressive stance by the health organization. In the past, it has often bent to pressure from member states demanding that there be no consequences even as epidemics have raged inside their borders and sometimes slipped over them.The declaration was apparently intended to display a more aggressive stance by the health organization. In the past, it has often bent to pressure from member states demanding that there be no consequences even as epidemics have raged inside their borders and sometimes slipped over them.
But health specialists remain critical of the international response.But health specialists remain critical of the international response.
“Declaring Ebola an international public health emergency shows how seriously W.H.O. is taking the current outbreak; but statements won’t save lives,” said Dr. Bart Janssens, the director of operations at Doctors Without Borders, which says it has hundreds of specialists in the field in West Africa. “It is clear the epidemic will not be contained without a massive deployment on the ground.”“Declaring Ebola an international public health emergency shows how seriously W.H.O. is taking the current outbreak; but statements won’t save lives,” said Dr. Bart Janssens, the director of operations at Doctors Without Borders, which says it has hundreds of specialists in the field in West Africa. “It is clear the epidemic will not be contained without a massive deployment on the ground.”
According to figures released by the health organization this week, the virus has claimed 932 lives since March. Most of the cases are in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, but at least nine cases have also been reported in Nigeria, where one person died after traveling there from Liberia. According to figures released by the health organization on Friday, the virus is thought to have claimed 961 lives since March. Most of the cases are in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, but 13 cases have also been reported in Nigeria, including two deaths, after a person brought the disease there by plane from Liberia.
The total number of confirmed, probable and suspected cases, including the fatalities, in the region was 1,711. The total number of confirmed, probable and suspected cases, including the fatalities, in the region was 1,779.
“A coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop and reverse the international spread of Ebola,” the W.H.O. said in a statement after a two-day meeting of its emergency committee on the outbreak.“A coordinated international response is deemed essential to stop and reverse the international spread of Ebola,” the W.H.O. said in a statement after a two-day meeting of its emergency committee on the outbreak.
The organization made similar emergency declarations to counter swine flu in 2009 and polio in May. But public health experts say the declaration on polio has not reversed or slowed its international spread.The organization made similar emergency declarations to counter swine flu in 2009 and polio in May. But public health experts say the declaration on polio has not reversed or slowed its international spread.
The W.H.O. declaration on Ebola comes months after the outbreak was first identified in Guinea in March. Mr. Janssens said that a combination of factors — including denials by the authorities in affected countries and the international community’s slow recognition of the gravity of the crisis — had all contributed to delays in gearing up an effective response.The W.H.O. declaration on Ebola comes months after the outbreak was first identified in Guinea in March. Mr. Janssens said that a combination of factors — including denials by the authorities in affected countries and the international community’s slow recognition of the gravity of the crisis — had all contributed to delays in gearing up an effective response.
Unlike previous outbreaks of the Ebola virus, which had occurred in isolated areas, the West African epidemic erupted in areas with more traffic, trade and freedom of movement, facilitating transmission of the disease, he said. The affected countries also have extremely weak health infrastructures and lacked the capacity to respond effectively when the outbreak occurred.Unlike previous outbreaks of the Ebola virus, which had occurred in isolated areas, the West African epidemic erupted in areas with more traffic, trade and freedom of movement, facilitating transmission of the disease, he said. The affected countries also have extremely weak health infrastructures and lacked the capacity to respond effectively when the outbreak occurred.
“Between February and May it was always ‘there’s no problem,’ ” Dr. Janssens said of the reaction from government authorities in the countries initially affected, “but during that period the epidemic was spreading into many little communities away from the epicenter.” “Between February and May it was always ‘there’s no problem,’ ” Dr. Janssens said of the reaction from the government authorities in the countries initially affected, “but during that period the epidemic was spreading into many little communities away from the epicenter.”
Liberia, which saw what had happened in Guinea and Sierra Leone, responded more quickly but lacked the capacity to contain the disease and is now fighting the spread of the virus in the capital Monrovia, he said.Liberia, which saw what had happened in Guinea and Sierra Leone, responded more quickly but lacked the capacity to contain the disease and is now fighting the spread of the virus in the capital Monrovia, he said.
The international response has also been weak, Dr. Janssens said, pointing out that Doctors Without Borders had previously called for a major escalation in international support and had warned that the epidemic was out of control. The W.H.O.'s regional officers, he said, “played a critical role in that failure in the first two to three months.” The international response has also been weak, Dr. Janssens said, pointing out that Doctors Without Borders had previously called for a major escalation in international support and had warned that the epidemic was out of control. The W.H.O.’s regional officers, he said, “played a critical role in that failure in the first two to three months.”
“They were in the same mode of denial as the governments were,” he said.“They were in the same mode of denial as the governments were,” he said.
In her comments, Dr. Chan said the W.H.O. was now “extremely stretched” in its capacity to deal with the epidemic.In her comments, Dr. Chan said the W.H.O. was now “extremely stretched” in its capacity to deal with the epidemic.
The organization has rotated more than 420 international staff members through the region since the start of the outbreak, and this week had 141 international staff members deployed, in addition to the people permanently based there, said Gregory Hartl, a spokesman.The organization has rotated more than 420 international staff members through the region since the start of the outbreak, and this week had 141 international staff members deployed, in addition to the people permanently based there, said Gregory Hartl, a spokesman.
“What we need there runs into the hundreds,” Mr. Hartl said, noting that the W.H.O. appealed last week for $100 million to support its response to the epidemic. Part of the challenge was finding people with relevant experience, for example in treating hemorrhagic fever.“What we need there runs into the hundreds,” Mr. Hartl said, noting that the W.H.O. appealed last week for $100 million to support its response to the epidemic. Part of the challenge was finding people with relevant experience, for example in treating hemorrhagic fever.
The organization’s statement called the spread of the disease an “extraordinary event,” describing the potential consequences as “particularly serious.” There is no licensed protocol of treatment or vaccine to halt the disease.The organization’s statement called the spread of the disease an “extraordinary event,” describing the potential consequences as “particularly serious.” There is no licensed protocol of treatment or vaccine to halt the disease.
The W.H.O. listed a series of worrisome factors in its spread, including “the virulence of the virus, the intensive community and health facility transmission patterns, and the weak health systems in the currently affected and most at-risk countries.”The W.H.O. listed a series of worrisome factors in its spread, including “the virulence of the virus, the intensive community and health facility transmission patterns, and the weak health systems in the currently affected and most at-risk countries.”
In dealing with the Ebola crisis, the W.H.O. said on Friday, stricken countries faced an array of challenges, with inexperienced personnel confronting “misperceptions” of the disease among highly mobile populations. “A high number of infections have been identified among health care workers, highlighting inadequate infection control practices in many facilities,” the statement said.In dealing with the Ebola crisis, the W.H.O. said on Friday, stricken countries faced an array of challenges, with inexperienced personnel confronting “misperceptions” of the disease among highly mobile populations. “A high number of infections have been identified among health care workers, highlighting inadequate infection control practices in many facilities,” the statement said.
But the body also said that the disease could be contained. “This is not a mysterious disease,” Dr. Fukuda said in a telephone briefing with journalists. “This is an infectious disease that can be contained. It is not a virus that is spread through the air.”But the body also said that the disease could be contained. “This is not a mysterious disease,” Dr. Fukuda said in a telephone briefing with journalists. “This is an infectious disease that can be contained. It is not a virus that is spread through the air.”
Dr. Chan said she hoped that Friday’s declaration would “galvanize” leaders of all countries to act. “It cannot be done by the ministries of health alone,” she said. Dr. Chan said she hoped that Friday’s declaration would galvanize leaders of all countries to act. “It cannot be done by the ministries of health alone,” she said.
Also on Friday, news reports said a suspected case of Ebola had been detected in Uganda, the first such report from East Africa. A traveler from South Sudan was isolated with Ebola-like symptoms of fever, and physicians were awaiting the results of tests, airport officials were quoted as saying. Uganda’s last known outbreak of Ebola was in 2012. Earlier suspicions that Ebola had reached Uganda in late July were dismissed as a false alarm. Also on Friday, Nigeria declared a state of emergency, urging schools to extend their vacations and religious leaders to avoid mass gatherings that might spread the disease, news agencies reported.
In Europe, a Spanish citizen, the only known European to contract the disease, has been flown home from Liberia for medical attention. The European Union said on Friday that the risk to Europeans remained “extremely low.”In Europe, a Spanish citizen, the only known European to contract the disease, has been flown home from Liberia for medical attention. The European Union said on Friday that the risk to Europeans remained “extremely low.”