Confirmed ebola cases reach 32

Confirmed cases of the Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Gabon and Republic of Congo have risen to 32, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. Twenty two cases were in Gabon and 12 in Congo. The agency added that the death toll was 23 including 17 in Gabon and six in Congo. Another seven suspected cases were under investigation in Gabon and two in Congo, while 191 people, believed to have come into contact with blood or other body fluids of those infected, were being monitored - 96 in Gabon and 95 in Congo. "We anticipate one or more cases may develop among these contacts. The international team is working closely with teams from Congo and Gabon's Ministries of Health to contain the outbreak", WHO - which is part of the team - said. To prevent the virus from spreading further, the team is also conducting community sensitisation activities. Ebola broke out in Gabon's Ogooue-Ivindo province late last year and was afterwards detected in neighbouring Congo. It 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.