{"id":150,"date":"2015-01-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-01-27T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new-blog.sitata.com\/2015\/01\/27\/ebola-in-west-africa-what-s-going-on-at-the-start-of-2015-739d97678f91\/"},"modified":"2020-09-08T09:32:01","modified_gmt":"2020-09-08T13:32:01","slug":"ebola-in-west-africa-what-s-going-on-at-the-start-of-2015-739d97678f91","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sitata.com\/ar\/ebola-in-west-africa-what-s-going-on-at-the-start-of-2015-739d97678f91\/","title":{"rendered":"Ebola in West Africa\u200a\u2014\u200aWhat\u2019s Going On at the Start of\u00a02015?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ebola in West Africa\u200a\u2014\u200aWhat\u2019s Going On at the Start of\u00a02015?<\/h3>\n

The Ebola epidemic continues in the three affected countries in West Africa (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone). Sierra Leone continues to struggle with the ongoing spread of this serious infection. Last week, there were 337 new cases reported. Even though this is likely an underestimation of the real number of cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) <\/a>states that this was more than double the number of cases reported in Guinea and Liberia combined.<\/p>\n

The disease does not spread randomly through the population. Because transmission requires very close, unprotected personal contact with an ill person\u2019s body fluids (i.e. while caring for them or preparing them for burial), the disease spreads mostly within family clusters and close friends. As a result, there are \u201chot spots\u201d where the disease flares up.<\/p>\n

Where are the \u201chot spots\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most intense spreading of this disease is occurring in the western districts of Sierra Leone, although there are still signs that transmission may be slowing down. Other \u201chot spots\u201d include the capital city, Freetown, the neighbouring Port Loko, and the Kono district in the east.<\/p>\n

The situation is variable across Guinea, with persisting transmission of the virus in areas in and around the capital Conakry. Kindia, which borders Sierra Leone, and the Dubreka area are reporting a sharp rise in cases last week. Meanwhile, transmission has dropped in some southeastern areas, including Macenta and Kerouane.<\/p>\n

Although the overall level of disease is finally decreasing in Liberia, the main \u201chot spot\u201d is still Montserrado County, which includes the capital Monrovia.<\/p>\n

Globally, the number of Ebola cases has reached 20,206, with 7,905 deaths.<\/p>\n

Take Away Messages<\/strong><\/p>\n

So what does the future look like? Here are some of the issues to consider:<\/p>\n