Ebola deaths rise to 20

The death toll in the Ebola outbreak in Gabon and Congo rose to 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. A total of 29 cases had been confirmed, while another eight suspected cases were under observation in Gabon, the UN agency added. The confirmed cases included 17 in Gabon and 12 in the Republic of Congo. Another 206 people believed to have come into contact with blood or fluids of infected persons, were also being monitored - 91 in Gabon and 115 in the Republic of the Congo, WHO said. WHO is part of an international team that is working with health authorities from the two countries to try and control the outbreak. The team is also conducting community sensitisation activities to prevent further spread of the disease, which broke out in the Ogooue-Ivindo province of Gabon, in mid-December and was later detected in neighbouring Congo. Ebola is one of the deadliest viral diseases known to mankind and causes 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.