The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is not yet under control and is still "running ahead" of efforts to control it, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
"It's not as bad as it was in September. But going forward we are now hunting the virus, chasing after the virus. Hopefully we can bring [the number of cases] down to zero," she said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The WHO has faced worldwide criticism for its slow response to the outbreak. Earlier this year, a leaked internal document revealed that the organisation "failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall".
Chan admits mistakes were made. "Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, if you ask me now... we could have mounted a much more robust response".
There have been 17,800 reported cases of the disease, mostly in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, and at least 6,331 people are known to have died. However, the number of people infected with the disease is still thought to be vastly underestimated due to the fear surrounding it.
"When they [the local communities] see people in space suits coming into their villages to take away their loved ones, they are very fearful. They hide their sick relatives at home, they hide dead bodies," said Chan.
Meanwhile, William Pooley, the British nurse who recovered from Ebola and is back at work at a treatment centre in Sierra Leone, has criticised the lyrics of the Band Aid single released to raise money to fight the disease. He described it as "cringeworthy" and "culturally ignorant".
"It's Africa, not another planet," Pooley told the Radio Times magazine. "Stuff about Do They Know It's Christmas? It's just like, actually people live normal lives here and do normal things."
He went on to describe the local healthcare workers in Sierra Leone as "heroes" for continuing to put their lives at risk by treating patients, especially as many of them have not been paid for months.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
