Liberia: Warning of risk of Ebola outbreak re-emergence

(Baonghean.vn)- According to the announcement of the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 14, Liberia may face the risk of Ebola outbreaks reappearing, especially after authorities discovered the second death due to Ebola infection in this country.

Ebola symptoms painted on a street in Liberia, Reuters photo.

According to the WHO's weekly report, this is the first time in many months that Liberia has reported new cases since the end of June 2015. The WHO report said that the hemorrhagic fever epidemic has returned to Liberia after 3 months without recording new cases. Of the 6 patients confirmed to be infected with Ebola in Liberia, 2 have died. The second victim died on July 13 at a treatment center in the capital Monrovia.

Francis Karteh, head of the national Ebola crisis response unit in Liberia, said the Ebola patient who died on July 13 was a nurse. The nurse was infected while caring for a patient. However, when she discovered she had symptoms of Ebola, she tried to take fever-reducing medicine to hide her illness. By the time she was discovered, the patient's condition had become critical and she later died. Therefore, Mr. Karteh called on people to be "honest" to fight the Ebola epidemic together.

The question now is: What is the source of the disease in Liberia when authorities have not recorded any new cases for the past 3 months? Some doctors speculate that the transmission may have originated from previously cured Ebola patients. Others believe that the source of the disease may have come from neighboring countries. It is known that Ebola cases still exist in countries next to Liberia such as Guinea and Sierra Leone. Up to now, authorities are continuing to search for the source of the outbreak.

Chu Thanh

(according to Le Monde)