Ebola virus outbreak spreading faster than efforts to control it: WHO

World Health Organisation has warned about Ebola virus outbreak is spreading faster than the efforts that have been made to control it.

The fatal virus sweeping West Africa is spreading at an alarming rate and threatening to cross international borders and the international agency has revealed that 60 doctors, nurses and health care workers have lost their lives desperately trying to save others, the Mirror reported.

Director General Margaret Chan revealed said that if the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socio-economic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries.

During an emergency meeting of the World Health Organisation , Chan told the presidents of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast that this should a turning point in the outbreak response.

She said that the outbreak as the world's deadliest and largest in terms of geographical extent, she said governments may need to impose strict population movements and it is taking place in areas with fluid population movements over porous borders, and that it has demonstrated its ability to spread via air travel, contrary to what has been seen in past outbreaks.

The death toll has risen to more than 1,300, while the situation in West Africa required urgent action experience had shown that when well managed, an Ebola outbreak can be stopped and the latest outbreak of the virus, for which there is no known cure , began in the forests of eastern Guinea in February, but Sierra Leone now has the highest number of confirmed cases.

What is ebola virus?

The Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe condition caused by a virus from the Filoviridae family. Known to be a condition that is transmitted from animals to humans, this virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal.

How is it transmitted? What are its causes?

According to scientists there are five different types of the virus, all of which have the potential to infect humans. According to the WHO (World Health Organisation) this disease can be transmitted from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In humans the disease can be transmitted by the following methods:

• Coming into contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of an infected person.
• Healthcare workers may contract the disease through transmission as well through contact with infected bodily fluids.
• Handling the meat from infected animals.
• Contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person who has passed away.

Who is most likely to get infected?

Dr Ratan Kumar Vaish, Senior Consultant, Department of Internal medicine, Rockland Group of Hospitals, Delhi-NCR says, 'The condition is contagious, so migratory populations are most likely to get infected and transmit the virus. Interestingly, this condition is also a hospital acquired infection and is commonly transmitted to hospital staff. Apart from that, high risk individuals include diabetics, immunocompromised patients, patients with kidney and liver failure and HIV infected people.' Read more about Ebola virus causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention

With inputs from ANI

Photo source: Getty images

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