The European Union said Wednesday it is allocating €2 million to fight the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa, with the money going to support the World Health Organization, Doctors Without Borders, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The EU also issued an advisory to people travelling to and from the Republic of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to see a doctor immediately if they contract any symptoms of Ebola, such as fever, fatigue or diarrhea. The EU is not restricting or discouraging people from travelling to the affected countries, but has told partners working on development projects in the region to “avoid the epicenter of the outbreaks.”
The current outbreak of Ebola in those three countries is the deadliest since the disease was discovered in the mid-1970s. So far, about 670 people have died and 1,200 cases have been confirmed. One case has also been reported in Nigeria.
The disease spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, such as blood and sweat, and it can continue to spread after a victim is dead. There is currently no cure.
Earlier this week, Samuel Brisbane, one of the highest-profile doctors working to stop the spread of Ebola in Liberia, died after being infected with the virus. Two American health workers have also died.
KristalinaGeorgieva, the EU’s commissioner for humanitarian aid, said in a statement Wednesday that the level of contamination in West Africa is “extremely worrying.” The EU needs to scale up its action, she said, before many more lives are lost.
The €2 million announced Wednesday brings to €3.9 million the total amount of EU aid allocated to fight the current outbreak.
(C) Politico 01/08/14
