Fears Of Ebola Spread In West Africa As 2nd American Infected With Virus

Health officials in West Africa are scrambling to contain a possible widening of an Ebola outbreak after a man believed to be affected by the virus traveled by plane from Liberia to Ghana to Togo to Nigeria, where he died on Friday.

The death of Patrick Sawyer, 40, has led to tighter screening of airline passengers in West Africa, Ebola has killed more than 670 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since the outbreak began in March.

The World Health Organization is awaiting laboratory confirmation after Nigerian health authorities said Sawyer tested positive for Ebola, WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said. The WHO has not recommended any travel restrictions since the outbreak came to light.

"We would have to consider any travel recommendations very carefully, but the best way to stop this outbreak is to put the necessary measures in place at the source of infection," Hartl said. Closing borders "might help, but it won't be exhaustive or foolproof." More