The number of people in West Africa who have contracted the Ebola virus and died from the hemorrhagic fever that it causes has doubled in the past month, the World Health Organization reported on Thursday.
In Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the three countries hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak, a total of 5,335 people have been infected and 2,622 have died, the organization reported. The tally a month ago was 2,458 infections and 1,346 deaths.
Liberia accounts for more than half of the cases. The first of 13 aircraft delivering American medical aid to the country is expected on Friday, carrying equipment for a military field hospital to treat medical workers who contract the disease.
Opinions are all over the place as to what the United States should do in response but one thing is certain: in the part of the world where it is a huge problem, it’s not getting any better. I’m in the “let’s do whatever we can to keep it far away” camp at the moment. Most people I know aren’t worried at all, but I do know a few health professionals who see the potential for this to get out of hand.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member