Drastic action needed on West Africa Ebola outbreak, U.N. health agency says

The World Health Organization on Thursday announced an 11-nation meeting and called for “drastic action” to fight the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. As of Sunday, 635 cases of haemorrhagic fever (most confirmed to be Ebola), including 399 deaths, have been reported across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, making the outbreak the largest ever “in terms of the number of cases and deaths as well as geographical spread,” WHO said.

Drastic action is needed.

World Health Organization statement

The agency is now “gravely concerned [by] the ongoing cross-border transmission into neighbouring countries as well as the potential for further international spread,” said WHO’s regional director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo.

This is no longer a country-specific outbreak but a subregional crisis that requires firm action by governments and partners.

Dr Luis Sambo, WHO director for Africa

Africa