Ebola virus getting worse in Africa
The deadly Ebola virus is getting worse in Africa. More and more people are getting affected. So far, 763 people have the virus, and 468 of these have died. The United Nations said it is the biggest and deadliest Ebola outbreak the world has ever seen. Most of the deaths have been in Guinea. This is where the outbreak started. People have also died in neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone. Health ministers from African countries are getting increasingly worried about the outbreak. Ministers from 11 countries are meeting in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. They will talk about what they can do to control the situation. They want to stop more people from dying. The World Health Organization (WHO) said "drastic" action was needed to stop the virus from spreading across Africa. WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein told reporters the organization was trying to get all countries to work together. He said if everyone helps, "we can get a grip and halt this outbreak". He said this was important because strong trading links between African countries means the virus could easily spread. He said: "We need a strong response, especially along the shared border areas where commercial and social activities continue between Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. That's unlikely to stop." Ebola kills up to 90 per cent of people who get infected. There is no vaccine or cure for it. |