Ebola death toll tops 200 in Guinea

WHO says more than 200 people have died in one of the worst ever outbreaks of the deadly fever.

WHO says it has registered 328 confirmed or suspected Ebola cases in Guinea [EPA]

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says more than 200 people have died from the highly contagious Ebola virus in Guinea, making it one of the worst ever outbreaks of the deadly haemorrhagic fever.

The UN’s health agency said on Wednesday it so far had registered 328 confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola in Guinea, including 208 deaths.

In the period between May 29 and June 1 alone, 21 deaths were registered. 

More than half of the new deaths in Guinea were in the southern region of Gueckedou, epicentre of the outbreak which began in February, near the Sierra Leone and Liberian borders.

According to WHO, neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia were also increasingly affected.

Sierra Leone recorded three confirmed and 10 suspected new cases over the same period. The total confirmed and suspected cases so far is 79.

Liberia had not seen any new cases for nearly two months after nine people died from the virus earlier this year.

WHO said it had deployed an extra five experts to the area to help stop the disease spreading.

The organisation said it was also observing about 600 people in the country identified as having possible contact with Ebola.

Source: News Agencies