WHO: Scale of Ebola outbreak vastly underestimated

According to the World Health Organization, the scale of the Ebola outbreak appears to be “vastly underestimated”, as the death toll from the disease reaches 1,069.

The WHO said its staff had seen evidence that the numbers of reported cases and deaths do not reflect the scale of the crisis.

The UN health agency said in a statement that “extraordinary measures” were needed.

The outbreak began in Guinea in February and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

However, the WHO said the risk of transmission of Ebola during air travel remained low, as the disease is not airborne.

As a consequence, Kenya Airways has rejected pressure to suspend its flights to the Ebola-hit states of West Africa.

The Ebola virus death toll reaches 1,069 in West Africa (photo AP)

The WHO said the outbreak was expected to continue “for some time”.

“Staff at the outbreak sites see evidence that the numbers of reported cases and deaths vastly underestimate the magnitude of the outbreak,” its statement said.

“WHO is co-ordinating a massive scaling up of the international response.”

Part of the challenge was the fact that the outbreak was in “settings characterized by extreme poverty, dysfunctional health systems, a severe shortage of doctors and rampant fear”, the WHO added.

Two people have died in Nigeria after drinking a salt solution rumored to prevent Ebola infection.

Text messages began circulating in Nigeria towards the end of last week recommending that people drink and bath in a salt solution as a way to stop getting the virus, for which there is no cure or vaccine.

Despite the health minister scotching the rumor, many people have been admitted into hospital after drinking salt water.

Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the body fluids of a person who is infected.

Initial flu-like symptoms can lead to external hemorrhaging from areas such as eyes and gums, and internal bleeding which can lead to organ failure.

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