介绍:
WHO declares biggest ever Ebola outbreak an international public health emergency
The spread of Ebola in West Africa has been declared as an international public health emergency.
The World Health Organisation makes the announcement after experts convened a two-day emergency meeting in Switzerland.
Dr Margaret Chan is WHO Director-General.
"The declaration of a public health emergency of international concern alerts the world to the need for high vigilance for possible cases of Ebola virus disease but by no means implies that all countries or even many countries will see Ebola cases."
The United Nations health agency says the outbreak is an "extraordinary event", which is the largest and longest in history.
The top WHO official says affected countries are facing a number of challenges, and she calls for coordinated international response.
"Countries affected to date simply do not have the capacity to manage an outbreak of this size and complexity on their own. Our collective health security depends on support for containment operations in these countries. I urge the international community to provide this support on the most urgent need basis as soon as possible."
WHO says there would be no general ban on international travel or trade, but urging states to prepare for investigations.
Liberia has set up army checkpoints to quarantine communities affected by the Ebola outbreak.
People from western regions are now being blocked from entering the capital, Monrovia.
The outbreak has infected over 1,700 people and killed 932 this year.
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