Ebola toll tops 80 in Coastal West Africa

The death toll from an Ebola outbreak in coastal West Africa has risen to 84, with dozens more ill, aid workers reported Thursday.
The deaths are among the 131 cases reported by the World Health Organization, which said the outbreak has "rapidly evolved" since originating in the forests of southeastern Guinea. The city of Guekedou, near the borders with Sierra Leone and Liberia, has seen 79 cases, 57 of them fatal; another four deaths were in the capital, Conakry.
It's the first emergence of Ebola in western Africa, and WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said the U.N. agency is trying to track people who had encountered the victims and make sure "that all those who have been in contact with infected people are being checked upon."
"What is really important is to inform the population of Guinea and Conakry about this disease, as this is the first time they are facing Ebola. They need to know what it is and how they can protect themselves."