The condition of an Italian
doctor who contracted Ebola in Siera Leone worsened Monday as he
underwent a second blood transfusion from a patient who survived
the disease, a medical bulletin from Rome's Spallanzani
Institute for infectious diseases said.
The team fighting to save the life of the Sicilian doctor,
who worked for Italian medical NGO Emergency, has pinned its
hopes on a transfusion from an Ebola patient in Germany who
survived the illness.
Previously, the stricken humanitarian doctor received a
transfusion from an Ebola survivor in Spain.
He also has been treated with two experimental drugs and is
one of 22 Ebola sufferers currently being treated in Europe and
the United States.
Five people treated in Europe and the Unites States have
died, the last being Martin Salia, an American doctor also
infected in Sierra Leone who was repatriated to Nebraska on
November 15.
In Africa, however, there is said to be progress in the
battle against the disease.
"We are in a very different situation compared to two
months ago, progress has been remarkable, especially due to work
by NGOs and local communities," said Dr. Bruce Aylward, the
World Health Organisation (WHO) special envoy in the countries
hit by the epidemic.
"This effort has led to a consistent slow-down of the
epidemic. The fact that we are on the right track is not
sufficient, however, since the results reached today are enough
to slow down the virus, not to stop it".
WHO says shortage of funds is one problem to overcome.
"We have gathered $960,000 out of the $1.5 billion
requested," said Aylward.
"This shortfall means having to choose between actions,
when they are all necessary".
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