Pirates of the Caribbean and the Hobbit actor Orlando Bloom visited Ebola-stricken communities in Libera. Bloom is the Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). The trip lasted four days. He returned to Los Angeles on Saturday, March 21.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a virus that causes bleeding and organ failure. It is named after the Ebola River in Africa. Liberia is one of the most highly affected countries.
"Everyone I met was determined to beat Ebola so that they can resume their normal lives," said Bloom in a press release after meeting with religious leaders in Monrovia.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), EVD is transmitted to humans by animals. It then spreads to humans by close human-to-human interactions. The average rates of fatality from the disease is half of those inflicted. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent the disease, though two vaccines for the virus are being tested.
According to UNICEF, the Ebola virus caused the deaths of nearly 10,000 people. The virus infected more than 24,000 people in total. Bloom visited families, schools and met with representatives of organizations to raise awareness of the virus in communities during his trip.
"Because of this outbreak, a million children in Liberia have had their school year cut in half," said Bloom.
The UNICEF Facebook site shared photos from Bloom's visit. Photos show him administering polio vaccines to infants.The photos also show Bloom with a youth pop-up theatre program. Children improvise realistic dramas in the program. The theatre exists to encourage communities to learn about the preventive methods for Ebola.
Preventive methods for controlling EVD outbreak are taken to reduce transmission of the disease. Transmission from animals can be reduced by handling animals with gloves and other protective clothes. In foods, animals should be cooked thoroughly prior to consumption. In protection against human transmission, people are directed to wear protective garments when assisting patients. People are also directed to wash their hands regularly.
Methods in containing EVD includes speedy yet safe burials for the deceased, identifying people who were in contact with Ebola patient, separating patients from healthy people and maintaining good hygiene.
Bloom has been the Goodwill Ambassador since October 2009. In 2014, he made a trip to Jordan to aid victims of the Syrian Crisis.
