Tuesday October 21, 2014

Responding to the Ebola outbreak

The current outbreak of Ebola was declared in West Africa in March 2014, and has since spread quickly and claimed over 4,500 lives. According to the World Health Organisation, since October 17th 2014 alone, there have been a further 9,191 cases reported in Guinea, Sierra Leona and Liberia. An additional 25 cases were reported in Nigeria, Senegal, Spain, and the United States,  as well as  68 cases in an unrelated outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the disease is endemic.

Ebola kills an average of 50% of those who are infected by it. The first symptoms are fever and muscle pain, soon followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and sometimes internal and external bleeding. Those infected must be treated as soon as possible and kept in quarantine.

Corpses and burials have been identified as a major source of spread of the disease. Islamic Relief is currently engaged in an interfaith initiative to help promote sensitisation and safe burial rites in Sierra Leone.

Our offices in neighbouring countries of Mali, Niger and Chad are currently unaffected, but have started planning and assessments, in case the disease spreads further in the region.

We are intending to expand the initiatives we are currently working on, to include other preventative measures across affected countries. We will also work to support any livelihood and food security projects, as many farmers have abandoned fields as a result of the outbreak and there is a growing risk of food shortage.

 

To help us quickly respond to disasters and emergencies, such as the Ebola outbreak, around the globe please donate to our Global Emergencies Fund today.

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