Ebola Returns To Liberia, Kills Young Man
Liberia, it turned out, was Ebola-free for less than two months. Seven weeks after the impoverish African nation was declared free from the fatal virus, a young man died of Ebola on Sunday.
On Tuesday, following the death of the 17-year-old Abraham Memaigar from Nidnwin, health authorities quarantined the victim’s parents and siblings at their residence, announced Tolbert Nyenswah, head of Liberia’s Ebola response team, reports CNN. He advised citizens not to panic since authorities are in control of the situation.
On May 9, the World Health Organisation, or WHO, declared Liberia Ebola-free. On June 21, the victim – who lives near the airport – exhibited signs of the disease. Nyenswah said how the teen acquired the virus is still unknown. Neighbouring African countries Sierra Leone and Guinea still have Ebola cases, but it is still unknown if the victim traveled to these nations.
In view of the new case, Tom Skinner, spokesman of the US Centers for Disease Control, said the agency is rushing to identify all the people whom the victim had been in contact and to monitor them closely. On Sunday, the boy’s parents immediately contacted the country’s national Ebola hotline when their son died. He was buried on the same day, with the burial team wearing protective gear, according to Nyenswah.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said that the organisation has a team in Liberia to support the country’s Ministry of Health. The team is capable of quickly identifying, isolating, treating and tracking every person who was in contact with the victim and stopping the further spread of Ebola.
The list of people who was in contact with Memaigar is expected to be ready by the end of Tuesday, Nyenswah said. Time reports that at least one person who was in contact with the victim was tested positive of Ebola virus which had killed more than 11,200 people in the three African countries.
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