People infected with the deadly Ebola virus in four West African countries increased to 2,240 with 1,229 deaths, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.
The WHO said it is working with the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) to provide food and other basic necessities to at least 1 million people in quarantine zones in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, Reuters reported.
“Food has been delivered to hospitalized patients and people under quarantine who are not able to leave their homes to purchase food. Providing regular food supplies is a potent means of limiting unnecessary movement,” the WHO said in a statement.
The organizations are delivering food supplies to hardest hit cities such as Gueckedou in Guinea, Foya in Liberia and Kenema and Kailahun in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone and Liberia are struggling to contain the outbreak since it began in March. Nigeria, however, is still managing to contain the virus in its smaller outbreak.
Meanwhile, some patients who have fled an Ebola quarantine center in a slum in Monrovia, Liberia after it was attacked and looted are under observation again, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Angry residents of West Point raided the center on Saturday, outraged over the government’s bringing of people suspected with the disease from other parts of the city to the holding center.
At least 30 people who are being monitored for possible infection fled but are now quarantined in another hospital, Assistant Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah said late Sunday.
However, it is unclear how the government tracked down and identified the patients.
