Suspected Ebola cases rise to 14

The number of suspected cases from Ebola haemorrhagic fever, which broke out last week in northeastern Gabon, has risen to 14, WHO quoted the Ministry of Health as saying on Friday. Two of the cases were confirmed, WHO said. The UN agency said a team from two NGOs, MSF Belgium and EPICENTRE, arrived in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, to join international experts already in the country. "The International Response Team met the Ministry of Health on Tuesday and assisted in completing organizational and coordination arrangements for response," WHO said on Thursday. "Technical meetings with health and military personnel were held on 12 December to organize teams, programme of work and tools". It also said on Thursday that a joint Gabonese-international team was leaving for the field. The victims of the outbreak may have died after eating monkey meat, news reports quoted the government as saying on Wednesday. The dead reportedly include 11 members of one family. Gabon, which appealed for international help, has placed the affected province, Ogooue-Ivindo, under quarantine. It has also warned people against eating bush meat. WHO said this was the fourth outbreak of Ebola in Gabon. The first was in 1994, when the disease left more than 20 dead. At least 66 people in a 1996 epidemic. Ebola is one of the deadliest viral diseases, causing death in 50-90 percent of cases. The virus is transmitted by direct contact with the blood or body fluids of infected persons or primates, WHO said.