Anti-Ebola fight achieves temporary victory worldwide
The move came amid protests from health care workers who claim safety protocols for Ebola treatment are insufficient and outdated. Two nurses who contracted the virus when caring for Duncan, the country's only two transmission cases till now, were believed to have worn protective suits that did not cover their necks.
European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Monday the EU was preparing terms of reference for a possible coordinator who can ensure the most effective engagement between the bloc, its member states and the United Nations in dealing with the Ebola crisis.
She said the EU and its member states had pledged about 640 million U.S. dollars in assistance to the fight against Ebola, and recognized the need to make an increased effort.
British Prime Minister David Cameron wants a two-day summit of the 28 EU leaders ending Friday to reach the 1.27-billion-dollar aid threshold, agreeing on a variety of topics from more financial aid to common repatriation procedures, more Ebola treatment facilities and better training for health care workers.
Chinese health authorities on Monday urged local health administrative departments and hospitals to fully prepare for potential Ebola cases.
Hospitals designated to treat Ebola cases should secure supplies of apparatus, medicines, disinfectants and protective gear for necessary treatment as well as ambulances for patient transfers, China's National Health and Family Planning Commission said in a statement.
Earlier this month, China pledged 6 million U.S. dollars to assist 1.3 million people impacted by the Ebola virus outbreak in the three most-affected countries -- Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Latin American countries, at an extraordinary summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America in Cuba Monday, also highlighted the importance of joint efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola.
So far, Cuba has sent 165 doctors and nurses to Sierra Leone to combat the disease, while Venezuela has contributed 5 million U.S. dollars.
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