The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak is “already intense” and the number of new cases is “increasing exponentially”.


On the same day, the UN agency released the latest numbers in the West Africa outbreak and it shows that Liberia is now reporting over 2,046 EVD cases as of Sept. 6, up from 1,871 cases the day prior. Liberia also saw an increase of 135 fatalities during the same period, bringing that total to 1,224.

The WHO states the increase in cases continues to accelerate in countries with widespread and intense transmission: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

All total for Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone is 4269 (probable, confirmed and suspected) cases and 2288 deaths (53% case-fatality rate) as reported by the several health ministries.

In Nigeria and Senegal, there has been 21 cases and 8 deaths and 3 cases (1 confirmed and 2 suspected), respectively.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Ebola is a rare and deadly disease. The disease is caused by infection with one of the ebolaviruses (Ebola, Sudan, Bundibugyo, or Taï Forest virus). It is spread by direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with a sick person’s blood or body fluids (urine, saliva, feces, vomit, and semen). It is also spread by direct contact with objects (such as needles) that have been contaminated with infected body fluids or infected animals.
