Three in three days: Liberia records third ebola case

More than 11,200 people have died since past year in the worst Ebola outbreak on record, almost all of them in the three neighbouring countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. An oral swab taken before the burial subsequently tested positive twice for EVD [Ebola virus disease]. “The corpse has been buried and our contact tracing has started work”.

“While we hoped and prayed there would not be a recurrence of Ebola, our devoted staff is even better equipped to meet the challenge”, said Fankhauser. One expired, who was the 17-year-old boy…

An internal Liberian health report showed that Mr Memaigar had attended school, visited a local clinic and travelled to his father’s house in a nearby village in the week before he died.

The latest case comes barely 2 months after the country was declared Ebola-free on May 9.

The minister added that the victim was living along the Robertsfield highway near Smell, No Taste in Miniwen Community where he fell sick and later moved to Lower Margibi County before his death. He’s probably right. Not only is panic always counter-productive in these situations, but – unlike during the first outbreak – the Liberian government now knows what it is up against, and has the resources and skills available to deal with it swiftly.

Dr. Margaret Harris, a spokesperson for the World Health Organization, explained that just a single case of the disease means the country has Ebola.

Coordinator of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Dr Abdulsalami Nasidi said in a statement that the outbreak in Liberia “confirms the Ebola virus is still circulating in that country and transmission from person to person is still possible”.

Tolbert Nyenswah, who heads up Liberia’s Ebola response, said that victim’s mother, father and siblings have all been placed under quarantine.

“It’s disappointing that we have a new case in Liberia, but we have to be careful not to be alarmist”, said Jens Pedersen, Humanitarian Affairs Advisor for Doctors Without Borders (MSF), speaking to the Daily Maverick.

Moreover, because so much has been found out about Ebola both in medical terms and in terms of general public understanding, the new outbreak will be regarded more calmly.

The 20 new confirmed cases reported in the week from 14 to 21 June indicate that the weekly incidence of new cases, which has levelled off over the last 10 weeks, remains unchanged. We have created a timeline to track the development of the virus’ intercontinental spread.

MONROVIA Liberia confirmed a third Ebola case on Thursday, almost two months after it was declared Ebola free, and officials said they were investigating whether the disease had managed to lurk in animals before resurfacing.