French President to visit Ebola-hit Guinea

PanARMENIAN.Net - French President Francois Hollande is to arrive in Guinea, becoming the first Western leader to visit a nation hit hard by the deadly Ebola virus. He will deliver "a message of solidarity" to Guinea, where more than 1,200 have died of Ebola, BBC News reports.

France has pledged 100mln euros ($125mln) to help tackle the disease by opening several care centers in Guinea.

The outbreak was now "stable" in the West African country, the World Health Organization (WHO) said last week.

There were still some flare ups in the south-east, but things were improving in other prefectures, the BBC quoted WHO coordinator Dr Guenael Rodier as saying.

More than 5,400 people have died in the latest outbreak, with Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia the worst hit.

President Hollande is expected to arrive in Guinea's capital Conakry later on Friday - the first Western head of state to visit the country since the first cases of the disease in March.

During his one-day visit, he will tour healthcare centers and take part in round-table discussions on Ebola. In addition, Paris plans to send mobile health clinics to Guinea and fund 200 beds for Ebola patients.

After Guinea, President Hollande will fly to Senegal to take part in a summit of French-speaking leaders.

Guinea has not been as badly hit by Ebola as neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Ebola is spread only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person showing symptoms, such as fever or vomiting. People caring for the sick or handling the bodies of people infected Ebola are therefore especially vulnerable.