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LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization is warning that without an accelerated effort to contain the outbreak, the number of Ebola cases could explode in coming weeks.
West Africa has an estimated 5,800 illnesses, but WHO says that number could balloon to 21,000 in six weeks.
WHO officials say cases are continuing to increase exponentially and Ebola could sicken people for years to come without better control measures.
In recent weeks, health officials worldwide have stepped up efforts to provide aid but the virus is still spreading. There aren't enough hospital beds, health workers or even soap and water in the hardest-hit West African countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The WHO says the death rate is estimated at about 70 percent among hospitalized patients but notes that many Ebola cases are only identified after people die. About 2,800 people are estimated to have died.
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