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Ebola Infections Dropping in West Africa, World Health Organization Says Officials Say Ebola Cases Are Falling In West Africa
(about 5 hours later)
GENEVA — The number of people falling victim to the Ebola virus in West Africa has fallen to the lowest level in months, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but dwindling funds and a looming rainy season threaten to hamper efforts to control the disease. GENEVA — The number of people falling victim to the Ebola virus in West Africa has dropped to the lowest level in months, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but dwindling funds and a looming rainy season threaten to hamper efforts to control the disease.
More than 8,668 people have died in the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which first surfaced in Guinea more than a year ago. But the three worst-affected countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — have now recorded falling numbers of new cases for four successive weeks, Dr. Bruce Aylward, the health organization’s assistant director general, told reporters in Geneva.More than 8,668 people have died in the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which first surfaced in Guinea more than a year ago. But the three worst-affected countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone — have now recorded falling numbers of new cases for four successive weeks, Dr. Bruce Aylward, the health organization’s assistant director general, told reporters in Geneva.
Liberia, which was struggling with more than 300 new cases a week in August and September, recorded only eight new cases in the week ended Jan. 18, the organization reported. In Sierra Leone, where the infection rate is now highest, there were 118 new cases reported in that week, compared with 184 in the previous week and 248 in the week before that. Liberia, which was struggling with more than 300 new cases a week in August and September, recorded only eight new cases in the week to Jan. 18, the organization reported. In Sierra Leone, where the infection rate is now highest, there were 118 new cases reported in that week, compared with 184 in the previous week and 248 in the week before that.
Speaking just after a visit to the region, Dr. Aylward said on Friday that the “really substantial reduction” in new cases was a direct result of last fall’s vast buildup of resources for fighting the epidemic. “This is the first time that the countries were in a position to stop Ebola,” he said.Speaking just after a visit to the region, Dr. Aylward said on Friday that the “really substantial reduction” in new cases was a direct result of last fall’s vast buildup of resources for fighting the epidemic. “This is the first time that the countries were in a position to stop Ebola,” he said.
President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone announced on Friday that the country was lifting the n travel restrictions that it had imposed in an effort to contain the virus. “Victory is in sight,” Mr. Koroma said. The restrictions, covering roughly half of the country’s six million people, were part of a state of emergency declared last July. President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone announced on Friday that the country was lifting the travel restrictions that it had imposed in an effort to contain the virus. “Victory is in sight,” Mr. Koroma said.
The health organization declared on Sunday that another West African nation, Mali, was free of Ebola after going 42 days — twice the disease’s incubation period — without any new cases being detected. The appearance of the disease in Mali last year had underscored the danger of the virus spreading to neighboring countries through travel and trade. Dr. Aylward cautioned that “the things that have been driving the reduction so far will not get us to zero,” and that health authorities do not yet have the spread of the disease completely under control.
Dr. Aylward cautioned that “the things that have been driving the reduction so far will not get us to zero,” and that health authorities do not yet have the spread of the disease completely under control. He said that too many new cases were still appearing in people who were not previously known to have had contact with infected people, and that it was still taking too long to isolate new cases and head off further transmission. He said there was still a “substantive” risk of the disease spreading to other countries. The good news about falling infection rates also bore a danger, Dr. Aylward said: Pledges of international financial support for the Ebola response were falling, as well. He said that $1.5 billion was needed to fight the disease for the next six months, but that only $482 million had been committed so far. Most of those pledges were made last year.
The good news about falling infection rates also bore a danger, Dr. Aylward said: pledges of international financial support for the Ebola response were falling, as well. He said that $1.5 billion was needed to fight the disease for the next six months, but that only $482 million had been committed so far. Most of those pledges were made last year. As things now stand, Dr. Aylward said, “we run out of cash in mid-February — that is, four or five months before that virus is going to stop, in a best-case scenario.” He said it was vital that as much progress as possible be made before the onset of the region’s rainy season in April, when many roads become impassable.
As things now stand, Dr. Aylward said, “we run out of cash in mid-February — that is, four or five months before that virus is going to stop, in a best-case scenario.” He said it was vital that as much progress as possible be made before the onset of the region’s rainy season in April, when many roads become impassable. Without greater progress by then, he said, it would take not months but “another hard year” of effort to defeat the disease. On another front, the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline said on Friday that it had shipped the first 300 doses of its Ebola vaccine to Liberia, in preparation for a clinical trial.
On another front, the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline said on Friday that it had shipped the first 300 doses of its Ebola vaccine to Liberia, in preparation for a clinical trial that is expected to start soon, gauging the effectiveness of the Glaxo vaccine and another developed by Merck.