Liberia calls for other countries to follow the US lead in combatting Ebola
- 10 years ago
A French nurse has contracted Ebola In Liberia. She is the first French national and international staff member from medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres to come down with the disease.
She has been quarantined and will be evacuated to France in a special medical plane.
Meanwhile, the government in Liberia is calling on other countries to follow the US’s lead, after President Obama pledged to send 3,000 troops to West Africa, build 17 treatment centres in Liberia and train thousands of health care workers.
Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said: “We hope this decision by the United States will spur the rest of the international community into action. Our American partners realise Liberia cannot defeat Ebola alone. The entire community of nations has a stake in ending this crisis.”
In neighbouring Ivory Coast, which has so far avoided any Ebola cases, education campaigns are underway to fend off the disease.
Washing stations with bleach solution have appeared outside buildings and even the traditional greeting of three kisses on the cheeks has been abandoned.
Sierra Leone is preparing for a three-day lockdown in an attempt to contain the deadly virus. Government officials say this will allow health workers to isolate new cases. However Medecins Sans Frontieres has criticised the move, saying it will force people underground and ultimately help spread the disease.
The outbreak has killed nearly 2,500 people. Around half of those infected have been in Liberia. Other cases have been reported in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal.
She has been quarantined and will be evacuated to France in a special medical plane.
Meanwhile, the government in Liberia is calling on other countries to follow the US’s lead, after President Obama pledged to send 3,000 troops to West Africa, build 17 treatment centres in Liberia and train thousands of health care workers.
Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said: “We hope this decision by the United States will spur the rest of the international community into action. Our American partners realise Liberia cannot defeat Ebola alone. The entire community of nations has a stake in ending this crisis.”
In neighbouring Ivory Coast, which has so far avoided any Ebola cases, education campaigns are underway to fend off the disease.
Washing stations with bleach solution have appeared outside buildings and even the traditional greeting of three kisses on the cheeks has been abandoned.
Sierra Leone is preparing for a three-day lockdown in an attempt to contain the deadly virus. Government officials say this will allow health workers to isolate new cases. However Medecins Sans Frontieres has criticised the move, saying it will force people underground and ultimately help spread the disease.
The outbreak has killed nearly 2,500 people. Around half of those infected have been in Liberia. Other cases have been reported in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal.