| UPDATED: 18:40, Sat, Mar 6, 2021 Link copied Ebola: Guinea Health Agency head declares a 'pandemic' Sign up to receive our rundown of the day's top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The WHO Africa Region department today tweeted: "So far there have been 18 cases, 9 deaths, 523 contacts, 82 percent monitored and 1604 people vaccinated." An outbreak has also been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The WHO has warned countries neighbouring Guinea were not prepared for outbreaks or for future vaccination campaigns. According to the WHO, the death rate from Ebola can be up to 90 percent in humans. When compared to coronavirus, the R rate of Ebloa is much lower as it can only be spread through direct contact with an infected host. However, the scientific paper, The Journal of Theoretical Biology, quotes the R-rate of "R 1.83" in an article labelled, "The basic reproductive number of Ebola and the effects of public health measures".