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Ebola crisis 'to take six months to control' | Ebola crisis 'to take six months to control' |
(34 minutes later) | |
The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa will take about six months to bring under control, the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says. | The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa will take about six months to bring under control, the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says. |
Speaking in Geneva, MSF President Joanne Lui called for strengthened international co-ordination led by the World Health Organization (WHO). | |
Earlier, WHO said the scale of the outbreak appeared to be "vastly underestimated". | Earlier, WHO said the scale of the outbreak appeared to be "vastly underestimated". |
It said that "extraordinary measures" were needed. | |
The epidemic began in Guinea in February and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. | The epidemic began in Guinea in February and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. |
So far, 1,069 people have died. | So far, 1,069 people have died. |
Ms Lui said that controlling the outbreak in Liberia - which has recorded more than 300 deaths - was vital to containing the epidemic. | Ms Lui said that controlling the outbreak in Liberia - which has recorded more than 300 deaths - was vital to containing the epidemic. |
"If we don't stabilise Liberia, we will never stabilise the region," she said. | "If we don't stabilise Liberia, we will never stabilise the region," she said. |
"In terms of timeline, we're not talking in terms of weeks, we're talking in terms of months. We need a commitment for months, at least I would say six months, and I'm being, I would say, very optimistic." | "In terms of timeline, we're not talking in terms of weeks, we're talking in terms of months. We need a commitment for months, at least I would say six months, and I'm being, I would say, very optimistic." |
Ms Lui also called for more action from the international community, led by WHO - the UN's health agency. | |
"All governments must act. It must be done now if we want to contain this epidemic," she said. | |
Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is infected. | Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is infected. |
Initial flu-like symptoms can lead to external haemorrhaging from areas such as eyes and gums, and internal bleeding which can lead to organ failure. | Initial flu-like symptoms can lead to external haemorrhaging from areas such as eyes and gums, and internal bleeding which can lead to organ failure. |
Response 'scaled up' | |
The WHO said in a statement that its staff had seen evidence that the number of reported cases and deaths did not reflect the scale of the crisis. | |
"Staff at the outbreak sites see evidence that the numbers of reported cases and deaths vastly underestimate the magnitude of the outbreak," its statement said. | |
"WHO is co-ordinating a massive scaling up of the international response." | |
The WHO also said that the risk of transmission of Ebola during air travel remained low, as the disease is not airborne. | |
As a consequence, Kenya Airways has rejected pressure to suspend its flights to the Ebola-hit states of West Africa. | |
The outbreak is also affecting the Youth Olympic Games about to start in China. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has ruled that athletes from Ebola-hit countries will not be allowed to compete in combat sports or in the pool, and Sierra Leone and Nigeria have withdrawn from the Games. |