Liberia is no longer Ebola-free. Traces of the Ebola virus were found in an autopsy of a dead teenage boy in Margibi County on Sunday, June 29. The 17-year-old boy's death is stirring a new wave of efforts by Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to control and contain Ebola within the small community.
Since then, health officials have found two others with the virus. The county is being quarantined in an attempt to contain the outbreak. SIM, an international Christian mission organization serves Ebola survivors, victims, and families at ELWA hospital. Medical treatment and trauma-healing services are provided at the hospital. UNICEF delivered tents, hygiene kits, chlorine, buckets, soap, and hand-wash stations to the community.
"The comeback of Ebola in Liberia was not unexpected, with the virus still active in the region, the real test of how well the system still works will be in the next few weeks," wrote Peter Graaff, the head of the United Nations Ebola emergency response team in a statement. He added that certain illnesses resemble Ebola in its initial symptoms.
Aitor Sanchez-Lacomba, the county director of International Rescue Committee says that rather than taking an approach to eradicate the virus, the health system "needs to be prepared." The committee is dedicated to providing long-term prevention and rapid response services in health facilities throughout West Africa.
A World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson said that the Ebola alert system placed in Liberia is working to "quickly identify, isolate, treat and track every contact and stop further spread of the disease." Liberians are forewarned to remain vigilant.
