Ebola Outbreak Expected to Last for Months: WHO Report

International health officials are saying that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is expected to continue for two to four more months even with increased containment efforts. Recent reports estimate that the deadly virus has killed 111 people to date.

At a press briefing in Geneva today, World Health Organization (WHO) assistant director-general for health security and environment Keiji Fukuda said that even in light of increasing efforts to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa, health officials "fully expect to be engaged for the next two, three, four months."

In what the WHO and relief organizations are calling the "worst" Ebola outbreak in seven years -- not to mention the first ever full-fledged Ebola outbreak in West Africa -- the countries of Guinea, Liberia, Mali, and Sierra Leone have all reported deaths, infections, or suspected infections from the Ebola virus.

According Stephane Hugonnet, a medical officer from the WHO's department of global preparedness, 101 people have already died from Ebola hemorrhagic fever in the country of Guinea, while neighboring country Liberia has reported ten similar deaths. Numerous suspected by unconfirmed deaths remain uncounted in both countries, as well as Guinea's other bordering neighbor Sierra Leone.

According to information released during the WHO briefing, prior to this current outbreak, a grand total of 2,387 confirmed cases of Ebola hemorrhagic fever led to an estimated 1,590 deaths.

Ebola, which is currently also affecting Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is commonly found in remote parts of Central and West Africa, particularly near tropical rainforests. Due to the remote nature of these locations, outbreaks are generally unlikely. However, this most recent outbreak, which originated from remote southern villages in Guinea, has found its way into Conakry, the country's largest city and seaside capitol, raising significant concerns and undermining containment efforts.

Now, according to WHO officials and previous statements from Medicins San Frontieres, containing and eliminating the virus could now take several months.