Ebola deaths hit 9,660-----WHO

Ebola deaths hit 9,660-----WHO

The death toll from the current Ebola outbreak has reached 9,660, while the number of those infected amounts to 23,825, the World Health Organisation, WHO, said in a statement on Friday.

These cases were reported from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, reports Tass.

In line with statistics, the maximum number of Ebola-related deaths and cases
has been registered in Liberia — 4,057 cumulative deaths and 9,265 cumulative
cases. Liberia is followed by Sierra Leone (3,490 deaths and 11,370 cases) and
Guinea (2,113 deaths and 3,190 cases).

The number of Ebola deaths in these three countries rose by 71 and the number
of cases rose by 131 since February 25.

Separate cases have also been registered in Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Spain, Great
Britain and the United States. In most of these countries the number of Ebola-
related cases does not exceed ten, with the only exception of Nigeria, where 20
people are infected by Ebola virus and eight have died.

WHO describes Ebola virus disease (formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic
fever) as "a severe, often fatal illness, with a case fatality rate of up to 90
percent." Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle
pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash,
impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external
bleeding.

The infection is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and
tissues of infected animals or people.

People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. 

The incubation period is 2 to 21 days. There is no known cure or vaccine for the
disease. The only treatment offered is "supportive intensive care."