Number of Ebola dead has risen to over 3,000

Ebola epidemic: IMF pays $ 130 million - less than 1 footballer costs

09/28/2014

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that the death toll from the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has risen to over 3,000. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is providing $ 130 million to fight the epidemic. That's less than a football player costs.

Over 3,000 dead in West Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that the death toll from the Ebola epidemic in West Africa has exceeded 3,000. On Saturday, the WHO said that according to official figures from the end of September, so far 3,093 people have died of the virus. The number of infections was therefore more than 6,500 cases. The countries of Liberia with 1,830 dead, Guinea with 648 dead and Sierra Leone with 605 dead are most affected by the plague. However, experts assume a higher number of unreported cases. The further spread of the epidemic could not be stopped so far.

International aid to the affected countries is still too slow. For example, Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma complained: „The national and international reactions are insufficient.“ UN organizations also complain that despite many pledges of help, not enough funds and helpers arrive in the most affected regions in West Africa. For example, until last week, the World Food Program (WFP) had received only 13 percent of the equivalent of 99.5 million euros, which the organization should get from the Ebola Fund. As the WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs in Geneva announced, threatened without further aid at the end of October, a collapse of food supplies.

IMF pays less than a footballer is worth
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also announced $ 130 million to help fight the Ebola epidemic in West African countries. IMF head Christine Lagarde explained: „The Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has already cost too many lives.“ It was also reported that this humanitarian crisis can also have serious economic consequences. Considering that the IMF often provides billions of dollars in loans to economically troubled countries, the $ 130 million seems very puny. The equivalent of about 102 million euros are less than the market value of the Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.

WHO hopes for vaccine from next year
Despite the many negative news related to the plague, sometimes a glimmer of hope germinates. It has been reported in the past few days that an Ebola cure could be possible through foreign blood therapy. In addition, the WHO announced that it would hope to have a viable Ebola vaccine in early 2015. Until then, there is nothing left for the medical profession in Africa but to help alleviate the typical symptoms of Ebola, such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, and internal and external hemorrhage among patients. (Ad)