Rising death toll in Ebola outbreak sparks panic around the world
3 April 2014, 17:10 -- At least 80 people died in West Africa in Ebola outbreak. Risinf death toll has sparked around the world. France has called for extra 'vigilance' among domestic medical services following an unprecedented Ebola outbreak in former French colony Guinea.
Social Affairs Minister Marisol Touraine said no cases had been reported in France, but warned that because of the numbers of travelers arriving from the West African country, she had put medical services 'on alert' for any suspected cases in France.
'It is not yet necessary to restrict flights from Guinea,' she said. 'But travellers going to the countries affected, especially Guinea, should take all possible precautions, while doctors here have been alerted to symptoms that could indicate the disease.'
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization says that as many as 125 people across three countries are now believed to have contracted the highly contagious disease. Senegal shut its border with Guinea, where the outbreak is believed to have originated, in the hopes of keeping the disease from spreading its way.
'Every day we're reading about it in the newspaper, hearing about it on the radio, and wondering when it's going to come here,' said 32-year-old Mossa Bau, who lives in Dakar, Senegal. 'Everyone is very scared because, really, it's a dangerous disease and no one has the means to stop it.'
The outbreak was initially contained in four remote towns in south Guinea and health officials had hopes it could be contained there. But the country's Ministry of Health confirmed last week that eight cases arose in the capital, Conakry.
At the same time foreign mining firms have locked down operations in Guinea and pulled out some international staff, executives said on Wednesday.
Suspected cases of the disease - which has a fatality rate of up to 90 percent - have also been reported in neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone, while Gambia said two people had been quarantined after arriving from southeastern Guinea.
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