Liberia has declared as state of emergency as the death toll from the ebola outbreak continues to rise steadily higher. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 932 people have died from the virus and over 1,700 more cases have been detected.
Liberia is currently at the greatest risk of ebola, but Sierra Leone and Guinea are also in danger of the deadly outbreak.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said in a statement, “The government and people of Liberia require extraordinary measures for the very survival of our state and for the protection of the lives of our people. I...hereby declare a State of Emergency throughout the Republic of Liberia effective as of Aug. 6, 2014 for a period of 90 days."
Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator Anja Wolz told CNN that she fears Sierra Leone is incapable of handling the outbreak without international assistance. Lack of medical education is one reason that the disease is still spreading in West Africa.
"Still we have unsafe burials; people who are doing the burial without disinfection of the body; still we have patients who are hiding themselves; still we have patients or contacts of patients who are running away because they are afraid,” Wolz said.
The United States will soon be sending 50 experts from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to assist with the treatment and prevention of ebola in the region.
Publication date: August 7, 2014
