Umaru Fofana /Reuters
The head of the World Health Organization warned Friday that the Ebola virus is moving faster in West Africa than efforts to control it. “If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socio-economic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries,” Director-General Margaret Chan said. So far, at least 729 people in four separate countries—Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria—have died since March. While Chan does not believe the virus is a risk yet to the general public, she warned that, “constant mutation and adaptation are the survival mechanisms of viruses and other microbes. We must not give this virus opportunities to deliver more surprises.” The WHO is launching a $100 million response plan. Meanwhile, the two infected American patients are en route to Emory Hospital in Atlanta.