Calm Restored to Liberian Neighbourhood after Clashes Erupt
August 21, 2014 in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone
On Thursday, calm returned to a neighbourhood in Liberia’s capital city after clashes erupted between residents and security forces on Wednesday. Fighting broke out just hours after Liberia’s President announced that the neighbourhood would be sealed off in what is the government’s latest attempt at halting the spread of Ebola.
Four residents in a quarantined Ebola-hit neighbourhood in the Liberian capital were injured Wednesday after clashes erupted between residents and police. On the ground sources have reported that the violence erupted after security forces entered the area in a bid to evacuate a government official and his family from the West Point neighbourhood of Monrovia. Soldiers opened fire and used tear gas on protesting crowds as they evacuated the state official.
Clashes erupted hours after Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf announced that troops and police were sealing off the impoverished neighbourhood, with no one allowed to leave or enter the area. Many residents of West Point, which is located on a peninsula in the seaside capital, now fear that they will be cut off from food as many market traders are no longer to enter the neighbourhood. On the ground sources reported late Wednesday that food prices began to rise just hours after the announcement was made. While the government has promised to ensure food deliveries, so far no such deliveries have been made. The area however remained quiet Wednesday evening despite a night-time curfew imposed. Dolo Town, which is located to the east of the capital city, has also been quarantined while a night-time curfew has been imposed.
New figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday have indicated that the death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is now at least 1,350 people. The latest figures also indicate that the deaths are mounting the fastest in Liberia, which now accounts for at least 576 of the deaths. A statement released by the UN health agency also warned, “countries are beginning to experience supply shortages, including fuel, food and basic supplies.” Supply shipments have been affected as a number of airlines and shipping services have halted transport to the worst affected capitals of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
On Thursday, South Africa became the latest country to issue a ban on non-citizens travelling from the three West African countries that have been affected by the worst Ebola outbreak. A statement released by the health ministry declared “a total travel ban for all non-citizens travelling from these high risk countries,” which refers to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The statement added that all South Africans returning home from these areas will undergo strict screening. Government officials have also barred non-essential travel to the three countries. Despite having two scares in recent weeks, after a South African man returning from Liberia and a Guinean woman displayed Ebola-like symptoms, South Africa has so far been Ebola-free as both patients tested negative the deadly virus. Precautions are now being taken as Johannesburg is a major hub for air travel between southern Africa and the rest of the continent.
Liberian Officials Confirm Missing Patients
August 19, 2014 in LiberiaDespite earlier denials, Liberia’s government confirmed Monday that seventeen suspected Ebola patients have gone missing after a health centre in the capital city was attacked and looted over the weekend.
Police officials disclosed late Saturday that a quarantine centre for suspected Ebola patients in the Liberian capital Monrovia has been attacked and looted by protesters.
While the government had initially sought to reassure people by stating that all the patients had been transferred to an Ebola treatment centre in the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Centre in Monrovia, on Monday, Information Minister Lewis Brown confirmed that 17 of the thirty-seven patients are unaccounted for and that they likely have gone “back into their communities”. The Minister further disclosed that authorities are now trying to track them down, adding that he remains confident that they will return.
The incident occurred Saturday evening in the densely populated West Point town ship, with hospital officials stating at least twenty patients, who were being monitored for signs of the deadly virus, had left the centre. A senior police officer also confirmed that blood-stained mattresses, bedding and medical equipment were taken from the centre.
While the assistant to the health minister disclosed that the incident occurred because protesters were unhappy that patients were being brought in from other parts of the capital city, other reports have suggested that protesters believed that the Ebola virus was a hoax and that they wanted to force the quarantine centre to close. The centre was set up in order to observe suspected Ebola patients and to then transfer them to a main centre if their tests proved to be positive. It currently remains unknown if the centre had patients infected with the virus however one report suggested that there were patients that had tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile on Monday the World Health Organization (WHO) called for exit screenings on all travellers from the affected countries. A statement released by the WHO indicated that officials now want health checks to be carried out at all airports, sea ports and major land crossings of the four countries affected by the current Ebola outbreak. New data released by the WHO on Friday indicated that the death toll has now risen to 1,145, with 2,127 cases reported in total. The outbreak is currently affecting Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Liberia Implements New Ebola Measures as Virus Spreads to Fourth Country
July 28, 2014 in Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra LeoneStrict Measures Implemented in Liberia
In a bid to halt the continuing spread of the deadly virus, Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has ordered the closure of most of Liberia’s border crossings and has ordered strict quarantines for those communities affected by the Ebola outbreak. The latest measures come just one month after the Liberian President warned that anyone caught hiding suspected Ebola patients would be prosecuted.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has announced the closure of most of Liberia’s land borders adding that stringent medical checks are being increased at those airports and major trade routes that will remain open. A statement released by the government indicated, “all borders of Liberia will be closed with the exception of major entry points,” adding that all these entry points will have preventive and testing centres. Three major border crossings, a provincial airport and Monrovia’s international airport are exempted from the closures. The government has also banned public gatherings of any kind, including events and demonstrations. Authorities have not disclosed how the long these closures will remain in place.
The announcement, which occurred late Sunday, came just one day after the Liberian President formed a new taskforce charged with containing the disease that has already killed 129 in the country and more than 670 in the West African region. According to a statement released by the President’s office, the special Ebola task force will ensure that “communities that are seriously affected will be quarantined and travels in and out of such communities restricted.” The new orders include strict observation at the international airport of all outgoing and incoming passengers, who are now liable for inspection and testing. All government facilities and public places will also install public access for washing of hands while all hotels, restaurants, and film centres are to play a five-minute information clip on Ebola awareness and prevention.
While Guinea has borne the brunt of the outbreak, in recent weeks, Liberia has seen a sharp rise in Ebola cases and deaths. Amongst those killed by the deadly virus is prominent Liberian doctor Samuel Brisbane, who died this past weekend after a three-week battle with the virus. Two American aid workers have also fallen ill. Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian charity, confirmed Sunday that its physician Kent Brantly was in stable condition and had been isolated at the group’s Ebola treatment centre at the ELWA hospital in Liberia’s capital Monrovia. The charity further disclosed that Nancy Writtebol, a missionary with the SIM Christian charity that runs that hospital, is also in stable condition. Ms Writtebol had been working as a hygienist responsible for detoxifying protective suits worn by those entering and exiting Ebola isolation centres. Dr Brantly is the medical director of the Samaritan’s Purse Ebola case management centre in Liberia, where the agency is continuing to work with Liberian and international health officials in a bid to contain the outbreak. He began working with the group’s Liberia team in October and since June, he has been focusing on Ebola patients.
Ebola Virus Spreads to Nigeria with first Confirmed Death in Lagos
On Friday, officials in Nigeria disclosed that the Ebola virus has caused the death of a Liberian national who died while in quarantine in Lagos. The announcement confirms that the worst-ever outbreak of the virus has now spread to Africa’s most populous country, which is already battling a deadly militant insurgency in the north.
Nigeria’s Health Minister Onyebuch Chukwu told journalists that “thorough medical tests” had confirmed “the virus of Ebola” as the cause of death. The 40-year-old Liberian national, who died overnight, had worked for the Liberian government and had travelled to Nigeria from Monrovia by air via Togo’s capital Lome. According to the Liberian government, the man’s final destination had been the southern city of Calabar, where he was scheduled to attend a meeting organized by the west African bloc ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).
While fears are growing that the Ebola virus may rapidly spread in the populous city of Lagos, Nigeria’s Health Minister has attempted to calm local citizens, noting that upon the man’s arrival, he was transported directly to hospital, noting that the patient “avoided contact with the general public and that there was no time for him to mingle in Lagos.” According to Chukwu, “all the passengers that the patient came in contact with have been traced and are being investigated,” insisting that health officials have made direct contact with everyone on board the flight and are now monitoring their conditions. The patient had been flying on Togo-based ASKY Airlines.
In the wake of the first Ebola death in Nigeria, the country’s largest airline, Arik Air, has suspended all flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone. The company has disclosed that the decision to halt flights is a precautionary measure. A statement released by the airline, which operates routes across West Africa, indicated “we feel especially compelled to take the business decision to immediately suspend flight services into the two Ebola affected countries due to our interest in the well-being of Nigerians,” adding “we humbly suggest that as a first step, all inbound flights into Nigeria which originate from any of the Ebola affected countries, be immediately suspended.”
Nigeria has put all its entry points on red alert after confirming that a Liberian man died of Ebola after arriving at Lagos airport on Tuesday.
First Ebola Death Confirmed in Freetown
Meanwhile in Sierra Leone, a woman suffering from the first confirmed case of Ebola in the country’s capital city died Saturday after her parents forcibly took her from hospital. According to a statement released by the health ministry, Saudatu Koroma, a 32-year-old trainee hairdresser, was admitted to a clinic on July 23 had tested positive for the disease adding “her farther and mother forcibly took her away from the hospital” just two days after she was admitted.
While her disappearance prompted authorities in Freetown to broadcast a nationwide television and radio alert, which eventually persuaded her to return for treatment, Koroma died on Saturday while on her way to an Ebola treatment centre in the country’s east. According to an official, Koroma “…was severely dehydrated and weak and could hardly speak,” adding, “blood samples taken from both the father and mother are now being tested.” The house where Ms Koroma had lived in, in the eastern area of Freetown, has been quarantined over the past twenty-one days.
Sierra Leone’s health ministry confirmed Monday that an Ebola treatment centre has been established at Lakka Hospital, with health staff trained to handle the disease. Surveillance has also been increased throughout the country, with people now being requested to report all suspected cases to local health authorities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of July 20, the number of Ebola cases recorded in the months-long epidemic stood at 1,093. This includes more than 660 deaths.
Deadly Ebola Virus Spreads to Liberia and Mali
April 4, 2014 in Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra LeoneThe first cases of the Ebola virus have been confirmed in Liberia, after spreading from neighboring Guinea, where the deadly virus has already killed eighty-four people. Meanwhile in Mali, officials are on high alert after three suspected cases were reported near the border area with Guinea.
Fears Virus Has Spread to Mali
Officials in Mali on Thursday indicated that they had detected three suspected victims of the Ebola virus, the deadly disease that has killed 84 people in Guinea. Speaking to reporters in Bamako, Mali’s Health Minister Ousmane Kone stated that “three suspected cases of hemorrhagic fever have been detected in the country. Samples have been taken and sent abroad for analysis.” The Health Minister added that pending results from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the samples were sent, the patients were isolated and were receiving appropriate medication. A statement issued by the government has indicated that the patients’ condition was currently improving and that the results of the tests will be made public as soon as they are known.
Ebola Outbreak Confirmed in Liberia
Seven new patients has brought the total suspected Ebola cases in Liberia to fourteen. Since reporting its first case of the hemorrhagic fever last month, six people have died, however officials in Liberia indicated Thursday that the first suspected Ebola case is now thought to be unconnected to the ongoing epidemic in neighboring Guinea, noting that the case may have originated separately within its borders.
According to Liberia’s chief medical officer Bernice Dahn, “we have a case in Tapeta where a hunter who has not had any contact with anyone coming from Guinea got sick,” adding “he was rushed to the hospital and died 30 minutes later. He never had any interaction with someone suspected to be a carrier of the virus and he has never gone to Guinea. This is an isolated case.” If confirmed, the case in the eastern town of Tapeta would mark a worrying development in the fight against Ebola, as cases so far have been attributed to people returning with the infection from neighboring Guinea, where 84 people have died. Tapeta, a small town in the eastern country of Nimba, is located 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in southern Guinea. It is also at least a five-hour drive and much further from the border than other suspected cases.
Of the six deaths, two were laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases – a woman who died in hospital in the northern county of Lofa and her sister who visited her. The sister was allowed to return home to Monrovia before being hospitalized in the nearby Firestone Hospital. Local authorities had isolated her and were monitoring her, her family and others with whom she may have had contact however Mr Dahn has since indicated that “…after being confirmed Ebola virus positive, the lady died this morning.” He added that “we are now keeping surveillance on 44 people who have been in contact with the cases reported.” The fruit bat, which is thought to be the host of the highly contagious Ebola virus, is a delicacy in the region that straddles Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with experts suspecting huntsmen to be the source of the outbreak.
Guinea Outbreak
The outbreak in Guinea had initially centered in the country’s remote south-eastern Forest Region of Nzerekore, where it took officials six weeks to identify the disease, effectively allowing it to spread over the borders and into the more populous regions of the country. The first symptoms experienced were of a feverish sickness and they were observed on February 9. The mysterious disease claimed at least 23 lives, out of a total of 36, before officials were able to identify it. Since then, the outbreak has continued to spread, with officials confirming last week that it had spread to the capital, Conakry, which is a sprawling city of two million.
On Sunday, Guinea’s Health Ministry indicated that the country was now dealing with 122 “suspicious cases” of viral hemorrhagic fever, including at least 80 deaths. However not all of the cases have been confirmed as the Ebola virus. Medical Charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has since stated that the Ebola outbreak in Guinea is “unprecedented,” adding that the spread of the disease across the country made it very difficult to control. Guinea is now facing a battle to contain the outbreak after cases were reported in areas that are hundreds of kilometers apart.
Regional Concern
Over the past weekend, there has been a growing concern that the outbreak of the deadly virus may spread throughout West Africa. According to Tarik Jasarevic, spokesman for the WHO, up to 400 people are identified as potential Ebola contacts in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Fears of the virus spreading further into West Africa prompted officials in Senegal to close the country’s normally busy border with Guinea. Senegal’s Health Minister Awa Maria Coll-Seck confirmed Monday that the government had decided to close its border with Guinea after receiving confirmation that the virus had reached the country’s capital city Conakry. According to Ms Coll-Seck, Senegal has also “…closed all weekly markets, known as luma, in the south. And we’re having some discussions with religious leaders regarding big religious events.”
Officials in Sierra Leone also reported last week some suspected cases of the Ebola virus however these have not yet been confirmed.
The Ebola virus, which is one of the world’s most virulent diseases, was first discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1976. The DRC has since had eight outbreaks of the disease, with the most recent epidemic, which occurred in the DRC between May and November 2012, infecting 62 people and leaving 34 dead. Although there have been previous outbreaks amongst humans in Uganda, the Republic of Congo and Gabon, the disease had never before been detected in people in West Africa. There have also been fears that the disease could one day be used in a biological weapons attack as, according to researches, the virus multiplies quickly, overwhelming the immune system’s ability to fight the infection.
If all cases in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali and Liberia are confirmed to be Ebola, this outbreak would be the most deadly epidemic since 187 people died in Luebo, in the Congo’s Kasai Orientale province in 2007.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), to date, no treatment or vaccine is available for Ebola, which kills between 25 and 90 percent of those who fall sick, depending on the strain of the virus. The Zaire strain of Ebola, which has a 90 percent death rate, is the one that has been detected in Guinea.
