WHO sees Ebola risk as 'very high' for Guinea's unprepared neighbours

World Health Organization officials said on Friday the risk of an Ebola outbreak spreading to Guinea’s neighbours was “very high” and that some of those countries were not prepared for vaccination campaigns.

WHO’s Guinea representative Georges Alfred Ki-Zerbo told a virtual briefing that so far 18 cases had been identified, of whom four had died.

So far, 1,604 have been vaccinated against Ebola in the new outbreak there. Most of Guinea's neighbours have triggered public health measures to deal with a possible infection.

Of note is Liberia and Guinea, who were adversely impacted when the infection of years ago hit the West African region. Nigeria has also put the healthcare system on red alert.

West African health ministers have agreed on a unified front to combat the #Ebola outbreak that re-emerged in #Guinea about three weeks ago. All the six countries bordering Guinea are stepping up Ebola preparedness.https://t.co/tcq8ymJbZ0

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) March 3, 2021