UN Expresses Hope Of Containing Ebola In 3Months

In a press statement, UN special envoy on Ebola David Nabarro says that people are now becoming aware that isolating those infected was the best way to prevent transmission.

“At the beginning, many West African communities did not understand that the outbreak was an infectious disease” he said.

"I think we've got much better community involvement now which leads me to believe that getting it under control within the next three months is a reasonable target," Nabarro added.

The epidemic that has so far claimed over 4000 with the bulk coming from African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone is however increasing exponentially.

Nabarro pointed out that the number of new cases was quite frightening as the spread of the disease was currently accelerating.

The Ebola virus is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal.

Meanwhile, New York's JFK airport began screening passengers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea for the Ebola virus on Saturday in an attempt to stem the outbreak.

Passengers from those countries will have their temperatures taken and have to answer a series of questions.

This was after the first person died of Ebola in Texas on Wednesday.

A few cases have also been reported in Nigeria, Senegal, Spain and the US.

By Bonareri Nyamoita

Source: BBC News