adminWest African nations including Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Guinea Bissau should prepare for the arrival the deadly Ebola virus, the World Health Organisation said. WHO gave warning yesterday that the outbreak in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Libera — the worst recorded since the virus was identified — had the potential to spread as travellers move between countries.
“We want other countries in West Africa to be ready — bordering countries, Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea Bissau — to prepare themselves,” said Pierre Formenty, a WHO medical official.
He said the UN health agency is not considering recommendation of travel or trade restrictions on the three countries already affected by the epidemic — Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The UN agency, which has sent more than 150 experts to West Africa to help tackle the outbreak, warned on Thursday that dramatic steps were needed as the number of deaths from the virus continued to rise in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
WHO said it would convene a meeting of the health ministers from 11 countries in Accra, Ghana on July 2 and 3 to address the growing crisis.
Doctors Without Borders has described the outbreak as out of control. It has been linked to around 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. — Al jazeera
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