Web of infection growing as hunt continues for 30,000 'victims' of outbreak in Nigeria

The hunt for people in contact with deadly Ebola was dramatically escalated tonight as the risk of infection spread across the globe like a giant spider’s web. Initially health officials wanted to trace only a few hundred passengers on two planes which had carried victim Patrick Sawyer, 40. But – as Cabinet ministers held an emergency Cobra meeting in London – the search was widened to find up to 30,000 people who could be hosting the organism which kills 90% of sufferers.

The list includes anyone at one of four airports visited by American dad-of-three Sawyer, and those in contact with him in Nigeria’s capital Lagos, home to 17 million, where he died five days ago.


Patrick Sawyer

Mike Noyes, of Action Aid, said: “This is the worst Ebola outbreak the world has ever seen.
"The most worrying thing is not just the numbers of people dying, but how long it is going on for.
“Most outbreaks last six weeks to two months. This one began in February and is speeding up.
“If anyone could answer the question ‘Why?’, we might be able to stop it. Instead, the reach of the spider web of infection is growing.”



Nigeria’s Special Advisor on Public Health Dr Yewande Adeshina said: “We’re actually looking at contacting over 30,000 people,”  who could be hosting the organism which kills 90% of sufferers.
The list includes anyone at one of four airports visited by American dad-of-three Sawyer, and those in contact with him in Nigeria’s capital Lagos, home to 17 million, where he died five days ago.

Mike Noyes, of Action Aid, said: “This is the worst Ebola outbreak the world has ever seen."

A total of 672 have so far been killed in the outbreak which has spread across four borders in Western Africa. A team of public health experts plus £2million in emergency aid have been sent to the region by the UK.

Several airlines have now stopped flying to Liberia and Sierra Leone over concerns about the spread of the disease from Guinea.