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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 20, 2014 3:36 PM IST
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said Ebola has killed more than 2,000 people in her country and has brought it to 'a standstill,' noting that Liberia and two other badly hit countries were already weakened by years of war. Appealing for more international help, Sirleaf described the devastating effects of Ebola in a 'Letter to the World' that was broadcast today by the BBC.
'Across West Africa, a generation of young people risk being lost to an economic catastrophe as harvests are missed, markets are shut and borders are closed,' the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said. 'The virus has been able to spread so rapidly because of the insufficient strength of the emergency, medical and military services that remain under-resourced.' In neighboring Sierra Leone, emergency food rations were distributed for a third day today to give a nutritional lifeline to 260,000 residents of an Ebola-stricken community on the outskirts of the capital, Freetown. (Read: How the Ebola virus spreads in humans)
The Waterloo area has 350 houses under quarantine with people suspected of having the Ebola virus and infections in the district are rising, according to the U.N. World Food Program. Packets with food for 30 days were delivered to the quarantined homes and to Ebola patients at treatment centers. The rest of Waterloo's residents went to 60 distribution centers to receive the food supplies. The mass distribution, which started on Friday, for the most part went smoothly but was disrupted at two of the 60 distribution points by people pressing to get the food, said Gon Myers, WFP director in Sierra Leone. (Read: Ebola facts frequently asked questions (FAQ))
The emergency food deliveries came as the international community ramps up its response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which continues to spread. The total death toll has risen to more than 4,500 people from the 9,000 infected, according to the World Health Organization. Although Senegal has been declared free of Ebola and Nigeria is expected to get the all clear, the epidemic remains out of control in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. WHO warns that by December there could be as many as 10,000 new infections per week. (Read: What is the Ebola incubation period?)
Fourteen other West African countries have been identified as at risk and steps are being taken to prepare them, said Isabelle Nuttall, director of WHO's global capacities. The United Nations has established a regional headquarters for the response to Ebola in Accra, Ghana.
What is the Ebola virus disease survival rate?
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe clinical condition that has threatened the entire world. It is caused by a virus of Filoviridae family. Although 5 types of Ebola virus have been identified, only four have been found to cause the disease in humans. The virus spreads easily through close contact with bodily fluids (like semen, saliva, blood and sweat), skin or objects (like needles or garments) of an infected person.
This disease that is highly infectious kills more than 90% of the individuals being infected with the virus (which means that the mortality rate of the Ebola disease is 90%). Hence only 10% of the individuals being infected with the virus survive i.e., the survival rate of the Ebola infection is only 10%. Read more about What is the Ebola virus disease survival rate?
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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