A look at Ebola from ground zero in Liberia Sep 1, 2014 05:53 PM (CNN) – The World Health Organization says more than 1,500 people have died from Ebola in this latest outbreak. Cases of the virus have also appeared in Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lofa County, Liberia health team are on their way out. Gloves, gowns and bleach are coming with them. The locals call the area Ebola country. For months, Alpha Tamba and his Ebola Response team have been called out every day to suspect cases. A woman suspected of Ebola has died and theyre going to bury her. To go anywhere near the body, everyone has to suit up. First, the team leader sprays her house with bleach, then the rest of the team can enter. As the body is carried out, the family mourns from a distance. Its the closest they will get to a goodbye. Everything thats come into contact with the body or with any surroundings that the deceased woman might have touched before she died has to be thrown in and has to be disposed of. It is the only safe way. Form the burial, the team travels to Zango Town. Half the population there have either died or fled. Many didnt even stop to carry their belongings. Kazalee Johnson says he lost his eight-months-pregnant sister, his brother, niece, and many others, too many to name. They died, they died,� Johnson said. “There were nine persons living in this house. Seven of them died. From Zango Town, the team goes farther into the jungle, through a quarantine gate into nearby Barkedu. Some 8000 people live there and no one has been allowed to leave. The community has been completely isolated. Of the thousand or so deaths from Ebola in the entire country, 20 percent have died in this town. The town chief says theyre worried that if the virus doesnt kill them, hunger and disease will. Thats what its like across Lofa, locked in, afraid and alone. Sometimes when the county health teams are called in to investigate a case they get there and they discover its actually one of their own. A clinic had to be locked up after all of the health care workers there contracted Ebola. Only one of them survived. Its heartbreaking,� Tamba said. “Sometimes we go to bed and we dream of nothing else but Ebola, Ebola, Ebola nothing else. You have nightmares? CNN reporter Nima Elbagir said. Yes, yes. In spite of the risks and the fear, Tamba says he and his team will continue to do whatever they can. Staying at home or running away from Ebola,� Tamba said. “Its not the solution Copyright 2014 CNN. All rights reserved.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 15:41:48 +0000
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