News outlets report on responses to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, including the WHO’s efforts, as well as control efforts in directly affected countries and other African countries.

Democracy Now: As WHO Warns Ebola Death Toll is Underestimated, How Should Global Community Handle Dire Crisis?
“The World Health Organization is now saying the number of reported cases and deaths of Ebola in West Africa vastly underestimates the scale of the outbreak. … We speak to three guests: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Laurie Garrett, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations; public health law professor Lawrence Gostin of Georgetown University; and medical anthropologist Adia Benton of Brown University, who has conducted research on infectious disease in Sierra Leone over several years…” (González/Goodman, 8/15).

Deutsche Welle: Ebola fight hindered by lack of awareness
“According to the World Health Organization, the spread of Ebola in West Africa is worse than previously thought. Doctors are facing a difficult battle, partly due to misinformation among the local population…” (8/16).

Inter Press Service: Côte d’Ivoire Steps Up Public Education to Keep Ebola Count at Zero Amid West Africa’s Worst Outbreak
“… Two of out of the four countries hit by the current epidemic, now declared out of control by the World Health Organization (WHO), share a border with Côte d’Ivoire. Nigeria is the fourth country in West Africa that has had cases of Ebola. And many worry that Côte d’Ivoire will soon be the next country to be hit by the most severe outbreak of the illness since its discovery in 1976…” (Boisvert, 8/18).

NPR: Kenya Shuts Borders To Ebola-Hit West African Countries
“The Kenyan government has taken the step of closing its borders to travelers from West African countries affected by the growing Ebola outbreak. The suspension applies to Kenyan ports of entry for people traveling from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, the country’s Health Ministry says. It goes into effect Tuesday at midnight…” (Neuman, 8/17).

Reuters: Ebola-hit states plead for more help, WHO rebuked for slow response
“Two West African nations and a medical charity fighting the world’s worst Ebola epidemic chided the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday for its slow response, saying more action was needed to save victims threatened by the disease and hunger…” (8/17).

Reuters: African Ebola outbreak like “wartime,” will take 6 months to control: MSF
“It will take about six months to bring under control the Ebola epidemic, the head of Médecins Sans Frontières said on Friday, saying the outbreak in West Africa felt like ‘wartime, is moving, advancing’…” (Nebehay, 8/15).

Reuters: Guinea reopens Ebola clinic as sick spill over border
“Guinea said on Saturday it will reopen an Ebola clinic in its remote southeast as sick nationals living in Liberia and Sierra Leone spill over the borders in search of better treatment…” (Samb, 8/16).

Reuters: Exclusive: Emergency food drops eyed for quarantined Ebola region of West Africa
“International agencies are looking into emergency food drops and truck convoys to reach extremely hungry people in Liberia and Sierra Leone, who are cordoned off from the outside world to halt the spread of the Ebola virus, a top World Bank official said on Thursday…” (Dawson, 8/14).