EU calls for int'l coordination to contain Ebola
Xinhua, August 16, 2014 Adjust font size:
The European Union (EU) foreign ministers on Friday called for a strong follow-up and a coordinated international response to contain the spread of the Ebola virus at a council meeting.
The EU expressed concern in a statement about the most severe outbreak of Ebola in West Africa countries, which has killed more than 1,000 people.
The EU took note of the recent decision by the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, and pledged its support for the countries concerned to combat the disease.
The WHO declared last Friday that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa constitutes a public health risk.
The EU has committed 11.9 million euros (15.9 million U.S. dollars) assistance to the affected countries through the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department, the statement said.
According to WHO statistics released on Thursday, the cumulative number of cases attributed to Ebola virus disease in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone stands at 1,975, including 1,069 deaths.
