“Recent intense media coverage of experimental medicines and vaccines is creating some unrealistic expectations, especially in an emotional climate of intense fear,” the World Health Organization (WHO) wrote in a statement sent to the media on Friday.
Public fear and anxiety of Ebola is understandable, the WHO says, since the disease has no known cure or vaccine. But the organization warns that there needs to be more reason when it comes to fervor over experimental drugs that are in very limited supply. The WHO says that the public needs to understand that the majority of treatments available are not approved, and have not been tested in humans.
One of the more disturbing outcomes to come out of the Ebola treatment fervor are fraudulent cure claims on social media. “All rumors of any other effective products or practices are false. Their use can be dangerous. In Nigeria, for example, at least two people have died after drinking salt water, [which was] rumored to be protective,” the WHO writes.
Twitter is full of individuals claiming to know of Ebola “cures,” which the WHO is trying to combat, like the one below:
@FayFayfy @UN There is no scientific evidence that turmeric can cure #Ebola
— WHO (@WHO) August 12, 2014
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out a warning letter to consumers on Thursday about products claiming to treat Ebola. “Since the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, the FDA has seen and received consumer complaints about a variety of products claiming to either prevent the Ebola virus or treat the infection,” the letter says. “There are currently no FDA-approved vaccines or drugs to prevent or treat Ebola.”
A lot of rumours on social media claiming certain products, practices can prevent or cure #Ebola. They are false, their use can be dangerous
— WHO (@WHO) August 15, 2014
Earlier this week, a WHO panel deemed it ethical to use experimental drugs and vaccines during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, but it is still developing use guidelines from a panel of experts. The WHO says the Canadian government is donating doses of an experimental vaccine, adding that “a fully tested and licensed vaccine is not expected before 2015,” WHO says.
Recent numbers for Ebola continue to rise. The latest case numbers from WHO put the number of cases at 1,975 and deaths at 1,069. The WHO reports that there have been no new cases of Ebola detected so far in Nigeria, which is the most recent country to have a small cluster of the disease. The WHO says it is in the process of scaling up a massive international response. The CDC is currently tracking cases to prevent further infections, and the World Food Programme is delivering food to over one million people currently quarantined in zones where the borders of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone meet.
WHO also tweeted some Ebola Facts on it’s Twitter handle.
Most infections from #Ebola are linked to traditional funeral practices or the unprotected care of an infected person showing symptoms
— WHO (@WHO) August 15, 2014
#Ebola is only highly contagious in very specific conditions involving close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or corpse
— WHO (@WHO) August 15, 2014
Evidence suggests that early supportive care for #Ebola improves the prospects of survival
— WHO (@WHO) August 15, 2014
Most effective personal behaviours against #Ebola: avoid high risk areas, know its symptoms, and report early for testing and care
— WHO (@WHO) August 15, 2014
Decades of scientific research have failed to find a curative or preventive agent of proven safety and effectiveness in humans for #Ebola
— WHO (@WHO) August 15, 2014
Two people in #Nigeria have died after drinking salt water which was rumoured to be protective against #Ebola
— WHO (@WHO) August 15, 2014