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Ebola: Mapping the outbreak Ebola: Mapping the outbreak
(4 days later)
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March, and has rapidly become the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976.The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was first reported in March, and has rapidly become the deadliest occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976.
More than 1,000 people have died, with Sierra Leona, Guinea and Liberia worst-affected and two deaths in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. More than 1,100 people have died, in Sierra Leona, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an International Public Health Emergency.The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an International Public Health Emergency.
Ebola outbreakEbola outbreak
Researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine have traced the outbreak to a two-year-old girl, who died on 6 December 2013 in a small village in south-eastern Guinea. Researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine have traced the outbreak to a two-year-old girl, who died on 6 December 2013 in Meliandou, a small village in south-eastern Guinea.
In March hospital staff alerted Guinea's Ministry of Health and then the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, (MSF). They reported a mysterious disease in the south-eastern regions of Gueckedou, Macenta, Nzerekore, and Kissidougou.
It caused fever, diarrhoea and vomiting. It also had a high death rate. Of the first 86 cases, 59 people died.
The WHO later confirmed the disease as Ebola.
The disease spreads
Gueckedou is a major regional trading centre and by the end of March, Ebola had crossed the border into Liberia and it was confirmed in Sierra Leone during May.
In June, MSF described the Ebola outbreak as out of control.
Nigeria had its first case of the disease in July and in the same month two leading doctors died from Ebola in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Cumulative death tollCumulative death toll
The WHO has published updates on the spread of the virus in each of the countries affected.The WHO has published updates on the spread of the virus in each of the countries affected.
The figures given are for "confirmed" deaths. They have occasionally been revised down to take account of changes in the countries' reporting methods, for example by excluding "suspected" cases that had previously been included.The figures given are for "confirmed" deaths. They have occasionally been revised down to take account of changes in the countries' reporting methods, for example by excluding "suspected" cases that had previously been included.
2014 outbreak in context2014 outbreak in context
Ebola occurs in regions of sub-Saharan Africa, though normally fewer than 500 cases occur each year. No cases at all were reported between 1979 and 1994. Ebola occurs in regions of sub-Saharan Africa, though normally fewer than 500 cases occur each year.
The 2014 outbreak dwarfs previous epidemics, with WHO figures indicating that as of 11 August there were 1,975 probable, suspected and confirmed cases, and there had been 1,069 deaths. No cases at all were reported between 1979 and 1994. The 2014 outbreak dwarfs previous epidemics.