Another patient dies of Ebola in Sierra Leone one week after WHO declares West Africa free of disease
Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:20:am Africa
3.4K By sosa hills
Sierra Leone confirmed its second case of Ebola within the past week on Thursday, prompting fears of a resurgence of the deadly virus just days after the World Health Organization officially declared an end to a two-year epidemic in West Africa that killed more than 11,000 people.
More than 100 people are being currently assessed and kept under observation after they came in contact with the 38-year-old woman who passed away as well as another patient who died on January 12.
Health ministry spokesman, Sidi Yahyah Tunis, said the second patient was a relative of the first, Mariatu Jalloh, a 22-year-old woman in whom Ebola was detected only after her death. The higher risk now, according to Tunis, were people who had contact with either of the two patients.
Jalloh's case in particular poses a huge risk as she was admitted to a health-care facility where nurses and workers didn't wear appropriate protective equipment. Her family and co-patients in the facility also were unprotected. Also, she was buried without safety protocols.
Prior to the second death, Dr Foday Dafae, director of disease, control and prevention in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, had said that at least 28 high-risk contacts were quarantined while 109 contacts were being assessed.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy reported that currently, 18 high-risk and 32 low-risk contacts were missing. Authorities are also working to assess the source of Jalloh's illness.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the world's deadliest to date and has claimed more than 11,000 lives since its outbreak in 2013. The highest death toll was reported in Liberia with Sierra Leone second.
The viral disease causes fever, fatigue muscle pain or sore throat followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases internal and external bleeding.
More than 100 people are being currently assessed and kept under observation after they came in contact with the 38-year-old woman who passed away as well as another patient who died on January 12.
Health ministry spokesman, Sidi Yahyah Tunis, said the second patient was a relative of the first, Mariatu Jalloh, a 22-year-old woman in whom Ebola was detected only after her death. The higher risk now, according to Tunis, were people who had contact with either of the two patients.
Jalloh's case in particular poses a huge risk as she was admitted to a health-care facility where nurses and workers didn't wear appropriate protective equipment. Her family and co-patients in the facility also were unprotected. Also, she was buried without safety protocols.
Prior to the second death, Dr Foday Dafae, director of disease, control and prevention in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, had said that at least 28 high-risk contacts were quarantined while 109 contacts were being assessed.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy reported that currently, 18 high-risk and 32 low-risk contacts were missing. Authorities are also working to assess the source of Jalloh's illness.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the world's deadliest to date and has claimed more than 11,000 lives since its outbreak in 2013. The highest death toll was reported in Liberia with Sierra Leone second.
The viral disease causes fever, fatigue muscle pain or sore throat followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and in some cases internal and external bleeding.
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