Electron micrograph of an Ebola virus virion.
(Centers for Disease Control)

EBOLA UPDATE:

The World Health Organization (WHO) says there has been a decline in the spread of Ebola in Liberia, the country hardest hit by the deadly virus.

The WHO’s Bruce Aylward said it the U.N. agency is finally confident health officials are gaining the upper hand against the outbreak, the BBC reported.

However, Aylward warned against any suggestion that the crisis was over. Liberia’s Red Cross said its teams collected 117 bodies last week, down from a high of 315 in September, according to the WHO. Treatment centers also have empty beds available for patients. “It appears that the trend is real in Liberia and there may indeed be a slowing,” said Aylward.

According to the latest WHO situation report, the death toll from the West African outbreak stands at 4,922. The WHO says a total of 13,703 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of Ebola virdus disease (EVD) have been reported in six countries: Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain, and the United States as of October 28. Meanwhile, the outbreak of EVD in Senegal was declared over on October 17 and in Nigeria two days later (October 19, 2014).

EVD transmission remains persistent and widespread in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, the WHO report said, adding: “All administrative districts in Liberia and Sierra Leone have now reported at least one confirmed or probable case of EVD since the outbreak began.” Cases of EVD transmission remain lowest in Guinea, but case numbers are still very high in absolute terms. Transmission remains intense in the capital cities of the three most affected countries. Cases and deaths continue to be under-reported in the outbreak.”

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Elsewhere, in Sierra Leone a different situation is arising:

Sierra Leone: 'Over One Thousand' Health Workers Strike As Outbreak Worsens

Published on Nov 1, 2014

http://www.undergroundworldnews.com
The Ebola virus outbreak's toll in West Africa has expanded at such a grand scale that the devastation has begun to vary from country to country. Liberia has experienced some reduction in the acceleration of cases, but Sierra Leone's condition worsens, just as health workers reportedly strike for unreceived pay.

Describing the situation on the ground as "catastrophic," Rony Zachariah of Doctors Without Borders warned this week that Sierra Leone's Ebola outbreak was particularly devastating, and government had, to some extent, contributed. Zachariah noted that the official numbers coming out of the nation were "under-reported"--something for which local media has been condemning the government for months--and that entire communities had been completely destroyed. "There are several villages and communities that have been basically wiped out," he explained. "In one of the villages I went to, there were 40 inhabitants and 39 died."

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/20...

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Ebola patients buying survivors' blood from black market, WHO warns
By Faith Karimi, CNN
updated 10:48 AM EDT, Fri September 19, 2014
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