GENEVA, November 14 (Sputnik) — A total of 5,177 people have died from the Ebola virus as of November 11, with the number of confirmed, probable and suspected Ebola cases climbing to almost 14,500, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Friday.
"A total of 14,413 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been reported in six affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain, and the United States of America) and two previously affected countries (Nigeria, Senegal)," the report published on the WHO website said.
"There have been 5177 reported deaths," it added.
According to the organization, 570 medical workers have contracted the virus, 324 of them died.
Earlier WHO estimates put the number of confirmed, probable, and suspected cases at 14,098, with 5,160 Ebola-related deaths.
The current Ebola epidemic started in southern Guinea in December 2013 and soon spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal. The latter two countries have recently been declared free of the virus.
The virus is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of those infected. Health officials are thus at the highest risk of contracting the disease.
Although there is no officially approved medication for Ebola, several countries, including Russia, are currently working on trial vaccines.
