Important Points About Ebola outbreak

Important Points About Ebola outbreak:

• Four West African countries Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Guinea are struggling with the worst Ebola outbreak in history
• First Outbreak – In 1976 the Ebola virus (EBOV) was first identified near the Ebola river, in northern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• Young scientist in Belgium, Peter Piot was part of a team that discovered the Ebola virus in 1976. He took his first trip to Africa to investigate this mysterious disease. In the Democratic Republic of Congo.

• Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
• The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
• Vaccine - ZMapp, being developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., is an experimental treatment, for use with individuals infected with Ebola virus.

• World Bank approves $105 million grant for Ebola-hit countries of West Africa (Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea).    Note: Liberia, the country with the highest number of Ebola infections, will receive 52 million dollars, with Sierra  Leone getting 28 million dollars and Guinea 25 million dollars.

• India to contribute USD 12 million to UN to tackle Ebola.

• India to contribute USD 10 million to UN Secretary General’s Fund for Ebola. Additional USD 2 million for purchase of protective gear to tackle Ebola.