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CONAKRY. — Guinea battled yesterday to contain an ebola epidemic threatening neighbouring countries as fear and confusion gripped communities under siege from one of the deadliest viruses known to mankind.
Global aid organisations have sent dozens of workers to help the west African nation combat the haemorrhagic fever, with health officials raising the death toll by two to 63.
“On Monday, two more deaths were reported in our area. People are really frightened,” Joseph Gbaka Sandounou, a unit manager for Plan International was quoted as saying in a statement released by the organisation.
“They have seen people die in a matter of just two or three days. They are constantly worried who is going to be the next fatality.”
The British-based charity said people of Guinea’s southern forests — the epicentre of the outbreak which began in February — had been terrified by seeing neighbours bleeding severely as they were struck down by the virus.
Ebola had never spread among humans in west Africa before February but five deaths being investigated in Liberia, one in Sierra Leone and others still being tested could bring the total in the epidemic to above 70. — AFP.
Online Reporter