The number of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone increased by more than 500 cases since the last World Health Organization (WHO) bringing the total cases and fatalities in the three countries to  5843 (probable, confirmed and suspected) cases and 2803 deaths reported as at 20 September 2014 by the Ministry of Health of Guinea, as at 17 September 2014 by the Ministry of Health of Liberia, and as at 19 September 2014 by the Ministry of
Health of Sierra Leone.

The number of cases in Liberia eclipsed 3,000 and the situation in the hardest hit country stands at 3,022 cases and 1,578 deaths. This prompted a tweet medical reporter for The Canadian Press, Helen Branswell, which said: “Liberia has had more cases & deaths in this outbreak (3022 & 1578) than all previous known Ebola outbreaks combined.”

The WHO update also spotlights the seriousness of Ebola-infected health care workers (HCW), calling it an “alarming feature”.  As of 22 September 2014, 348 HCWs are known to have developed EVD (67 in Guinea, 174
in Liberia, 11 in Nigeria, and 96 in Sierra Leone). 186 HCWs have died as a result of EVD infection (35 in Guinea, 85 in Liberia, 5 in Nigeria, and 61 in Sierra Leone), with a case fatality rate at 53%. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page