Liberia Faces huge Ebola surge – WHO

Ebola is spreading exponentially in Liberia, with thousands of new cases expected in the next three weeks, the World Health Organization, WHO, says.

Conventional methods to control the outbreak were “not having an adequate impact”, the UN’s health agency added.

At least 2,100 people have died of the virus in the West African states of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria this year. The WHO says 79 health workers have died from the virus.

Organisations combating the outbreak needed to scale-up efforts “three-to-four fold”, the WHO said, adding that in Liberia, which has the highest number of cases, not enough beds are available for infected patients, with some being turned away.

Taxis being used to transport infected patients appeared to be “a hot source of potential virus transmission”, WHO said.

The Ebola disease spreads between humans through direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments.

The current outbreak has mortality rate of about 55 per cent.