“String-like Ebola virus peeling off an infected cell.” Heinz Feldmann, Peter Jahrling, Elizabeth Fischer and Anita Mora, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health
The World Health Organization’s director said today that the ever-worsening Ebola outbreak is “moving faster than our efforts to control it.”
The results could be catastrophic, and there is a “high risk” the outbreak will spread beyond West Africa, where the death toll recently hit 729.
Government health workers are seen during the administration of blood tests for the Ebola virus in Kenema, Sierra Leone June 25, 2014. REUTERS/Umaru Fofana
Here is a portion of the transcript from the Ebola outbreak assessment statement presented today by Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization:
West Africa is facing its first outbreak of Ebola virus disease. This is an unprecedented outbreak accompanied by unprecedented challenges. And these challenges are extraordinary.
West Africa’s outbreak is caused by the most lethal strain in the family of Ebola viruses.
The outbreak is by far the largest ever in the nearly four-decade history of this disease. It is the largest in terms of numbers of cases and deaths, with 1,323 cases and 729 deaths reported to date in four countries.
It is the largest in terms of geographical areas already affected and others at immediate risk of further spread.
It is taking place in areas with fluid population movements over porous borders, and it has demonstrated its ability to spread via air travel, contrary to what has been seen in past outbreaks. Cases are occurring in rural areas which are difficult to access, but also in densely populated capital cities.
This meeting must mark a turning point in the outbreak response. The presence here of four heads of state is clear evidence of the high-level of political concern and commitment.
Let me give you some frank assessments of what we face. And by “we”, I mean your countries and your neighbours, WHO and its partners in outbreak response, including civil society organizations, and the international community, including countries on other continents that can give you the support you so clearly need.
First, this outbreak is moving faster than our efforts to control it.
If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socioeconomic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries. As I said before, this meeting must mark a turning point in the outbreak response.
In addition, the outbreak is affecting a large number of doctors, nurses, and other health care workers, one of the most essential resources for containing an outbreak. To date, more than 60 health care workers have lost their lives in helping others. Some international staff are infected. These tragic infections and deaths significantly erode response capacity.
Second, the situation in West Africa is of international concern and must receive urgent priority for decisive action at national and international levels. Experiences in Africa over nearly four decades tell us clearly that, when well managed, an Ebola outbreak can be stopped.
This is not an airborne virus. Transmission requires close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, also after death. Apart from this specific situation, the general public is not at high risk of infection by the Ebola virus.
At the same time, it would be extremely unwise for national authorities and the international community to allow an Ebola virus to circulate widely and over a long period of time in human populations.
Constant mutation and adaptation are the survival mechanisms of viruses and other microbes. We must not give this virus opportunities to deliver more surprises.
Third, this is not just a medical or public health problem. It is a social problem. Deep-seated beliefs and cultural practices are a significant cause of further spread and a significant barrier to rapid and effective containment. This social dimension must also be addressed as an integral part of the overall response.
Fourth, in some areas, chains of transmission have moved underground. They are invisible. They are not being reported. Because of the high fatality rate, many people in affected areas associate isolation wards with a sure death sentence, and prefer to care for loved ones in homes or seek assistance from traditional healers.
Such hiding of cases defeats strategies for rapid containment. Moreover, public attitudes can create a security threat to response teams when fear and misunderstanding turn to anger, hostility, or violence.
Finally, despite the absence of a vaccine or curative therapy, Ebola outbreaks can most certainly be contained. Bedrocks of outbreak containment include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing and monitoring of contacts, and rigorous procedures for infection control.
Moreover, we do have some evidence that early detection of cases and early implementation of supportive therapy increases the chances of survival. This is another message that needs to be communicated to the public.
A health worker with disinfectant spray walks down a street outside the government hospital in Kenema, Sierra Leone, on July 10. Ebola has killed 632 people across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since an outbreak began in February, putting strain on a string of weak health systems facing one of the world’s deadliest diseases despite waves of international help. | REUTERS
In related news, the US Centers for Disease Control U.S. issued a travel advisory urging Americans to avoid non-essential travel to the three countries affected by the Ebola outbreak: Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. A Liberian man who was infected with the virus died in Lagos, Nigeria; the CDC did not name Nigeria, but traveler concern is high.
Rose Komono poses for a picture at a health clinic after overcoming the Ebola virus in Gueckedou, Guinea April 3, 2014. Komono became the first victim to have beaten the disease in the region of Gueckedou, which has borne the brunt of the deaths in the impoverished West African nation. REUTERS/Misha Hussain