The first identified outbreak of the haemorrhagic fever Ebola took place in 1976. Almost 40 years later there is no approved drug or medical treatment to cure this dangerous disease.
The new Ebola epidemic that begun in March this year is spreading through West African countries and local and international medical efforts are proving insufficient to control its expansion.
Through its Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) the European Commission is closely monitoring the situation together with the Member States’ health authorities, the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC) , the World Health Organization (WHO ) and other international organizations.
This keysource provides an overview of EU’s response to this Ebola outbreak.
Overviews
Fact sheet: Ebola & Marburg fever / European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control – ECDC; 2014
The following documents present a graphic description of the spread of the disease in West African countries:
Factsheet Ebola in West Africa / European Commission – ECHO; 18 August 2014
Map West Africa Ebola virus / European Commission-JRC; 18 August 2014
European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC)
An Epidemiological update on the Outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa was published on the 29 Aug 2014. The ECDC also published the fourth update of the rapid risk assessment Outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa on the 03 of September.
European Parliament
An exchange of views with Commissioner Mr Tonio Borg, on the Ebola crisis in West-Africa took place during the meeting of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on Wednesday 3 September 2014. Commissioner Borg stressed that the EU has a “moral obligation” to help countries affected by the Ebola outbreak.
The European Parliament approved a Motion for a resolution on the Ebola epidemic in Africa on 09 April 2014 (B7-0328/2014).
The MEPs have addressed 14 parliamentary questions to the European Commission on the Ebola Outbreak since March 2014 .
European Commission
EU financial aid to combat the Ebola crisis:
In his Statement on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa on the 8th of August 2014, Commissioner Borg stated that the ” EU has been following the situation in West Africa for many months ” and confirmed that the EU is prepared to combat the disease if it should eventually reach Europe.
Council of the European Union
Foreign Affairs Council meeting / Brussels, Date: 15 August 2014
- Press release – (provisional version)
- Council conclusions on the Ebola crisis in West Africa
The Brussels G7 Summit Declaration / 05 June 2014
G7 leaders are committed to step up the efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak “in close cooperation with WHO “.
