Africa Still Dealing with Deadly Ebola Virus Spread in Guinea Region

Beginning on February 9, cases of haemorrhagic fever were reported in the Guinea region of Africa. Since then, the death toll has reached 66 and the virus is threatening the country's capital, and spreading to nearby Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The life-threatening haemorrhagic fever was found to be the Ebola virus. Authorities and health officials have rushed to Guinea's capital, Conakry, to halt the spread of the deadly virus. With 103 cases in the country so far, officials fear that the Ebola virus could uncontrollably spread amongst the two million people in Conakry.

The Ebola haemorrhagic fever is one of the most virulent viral diseases in the world. It was first identified in Sudan in 1976 and has caused outbreaks in other regions in Africa. It is spread through human contact as well as through the handling of sick/dead infected wild animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelopes, and fruit bats, according to the World Health Organization.

Authorities hope to help others who have come into contact with other infected people in order to halt the potential violent spread of the virus. Only 11 people have died in nearby Sierra Leone and Liberia, but if anyone has come into contact with those people, more cases can spread and begin to further infiltrate the region. A boy in Sierra Leone was infected with the virus after attending a funeral in Guinea for someone he knew who also died of the Ebola fever.

"Families have been decimated. When you go into rural areas, especially in Gueckedou, you see villages where there are lots of people infected," said Mariano Lugli, emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

This is the first fatal outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. The city of Conakry features hundreds of thousands of people living in very close quarters, which could be disastrous if the disease spreads to those areas. People have avoided shaking hands and offices have placed antiseptic wash outside their doors.

The officials suggest making sure living areas are kept clean, hands are washed when necessary, and to ignore the surrounding panic. If proper measures are taken, the disease will have a difficulty spreading and fewer measures will be needed.

To read more about the outbreak, visit this Reuters article.