Liberia 17 Ebola patients flee clinic

17 Ebola patients flee clinic in Liberia

08/18/2014

In the capital of Liberia, 17 Ebola patients fled a quarantine station Saturday night after slum dwellers stormed the clinic. Previously, it had been reported that the entire slum where the incident occurred was to be quarantined. Now, a further spread of the dangerous disease is feared.

Whole poor district should be quarantined
In Liberia, 17 Ebola patients have fled quarantine. Like the newspaper „Front Page Africa“ reported on Sunday, patients had left the hospital in a slum area of ​​the capital, Monrovia, with the help of angry citizens who had previously invaded the hospital. It was said that patients were confirmed and suspected cases. Previously, the Ministry of Health had announced that it wanted to quarantine the entire slum in which the incident occurred in order to prevent residents from traveling to other areas.

Catastrophic hygienic conditions in the slum
The slum West Point is densely populated and is very close to the city center of Monrovia. Around 75,000 people live in the district. The authorities said: „We will bring food and other goods to West Point before the measure goes into effect.“ Many citizens had reacted angrily to the announcement. According to the report catastrophic hygienic conditions prevail in the slum. According to a UN investigation, there are just four public toilets in the area. There would be more, but they are paid and therefore not affordable for the population. After the incident, it is feared that the fled patients could infect more people.

Doctor in Nigeria healthy again
Other countries affected by the Ebola epidemic are also receiving dramatic news. That's what it was called just a few days ago: „Nigeria: Hospital staff flee Ebola“. According to this, more and more doctors and nurses are fleeing the hospitals for fear of contracting the Ebola virus. More than 160 patients with Ebola symptoms were under surveillance in the most populous state in Africa. From the country there are also positive news about successes in the fight against Ebola. So it was said that a doctor ill several weeks ago in Nigeria is healthy again. As Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu announced on Saturday night, the woman had been released from the hospital in Lagos and could now start a normal life again. In addition, it was said that another five of the twelve confirmed in the West African country infected on the way to recovery and „almost healed“ are. (Ad)