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Ebola
has claimed the lives of more than 7,300 people in the latest outbreak. (FP)
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The
worst Ebola outbreak on record has now killed more than 7,000 people, with many
of the latest deaths reported in Sierra Leone, the World Health Organization
(WHO) said as United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon continued his
tour of Ebola-affected countries in West Africa yesterday.
AP
reports the three countries hit hardest by Ebola have now recorded 7,373
deaths, up from 6,900 on Wednesday, according to WHO figures posted online late
Friday. A total of 392 of the new deaths were in Sierra Leone, where Ebola is
spreading the fastest.
The
new totals include confirmed, probable and suspected Ebola deaths. The WHO says
there have also been six Ebola deaths in Mali, eight in Nigeria and one in the
United States.
The
total number of cases in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia now stands at 19,031,
up from 18,569.
Ban
arrived in Guinea, where the outbreak’s first cases were confirmed back in
March, on Saturday after touring Liberia and Sierra Leone on Friday.
After
meeting with President Alpha Condé, he expressed concern about the situation in
the country’s southeast forest region, where he said the number of infected
people “seems to continue to grow”.
The
region borders Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, and Ban called for
cross-border collaboration to bring the disease under control.
He
urged all Guineans to commit themselves to eradicating Ebola, saying that the
U.N. and its partners “are there to help you”.
“It
has never been so important to work together,” he said.
Guinea
has recorded 2,453 Ebola deaths and 1,550 cases, according to the WHO.
This
past week, officials in Conakry, the capital, announced a ban on New Year’s Eve
celebrations such as fireworks displays and beach gatherings in a bid to
curtail transmission.
Ban was expected to travel
to Mali yesterday evening.
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