News Digest

As new Ebola cases emerge in Liberia, officials race to halt outbreak

Confirmation of new Ebola infections in Liberia this week have brought back fears that another outbreak could run rampant in the West African country, but experts caution that the government and aid organizations are far more prepared now to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Officials from Liberia’s Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism confirmed today that two people had tested positive for Ebola, after a teenager died on Sunday of the disease. Both of the confirmed cases were in the same home as the 17-year-old boy when he died, officials said.

We have to try to find out how he acquired his infection. Did it indeed come from Guinea or Sierra Leone? Or are there are sources in Liberia that have yet to be identified?

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told ABC News

However, experts say the cases simply show that increased surveillance is working to stop the disease before it can spread widely. While the World Health Organization declared Liberia Ebola free in May, it continued to practice heightened surveillance in the area. Dr. Margaret Harris, a spokeswoman for WHO’s Ebola response, said during heightened surveillance officials continued to swab dead bodies for the virus and bury them according to safe burial practices. Harris said hundreds of WHO staff remain in Liberia to help with both training new medical workers, maintaining surveillance of the area, and helping to ensure that medical centers have supplies like personal protective equipment for health workers.