MOSCOW, November 4 (RIA Novosti), Ekaterina Blinova — A new Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, West Africa, may intensify the spread of the disease, aggravating fears of the epidemic’s rise.
"A fresh outbreak of Ebola in a part of Sierra Leone where the virus was thought to have been contained has raised fears of a new, uncontrolled infection chain that could send the death toll soaring," the Guardian reported.
Although Koinadugu, a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone, had been considered the only area to hold the deadly disease at bay due to its quarantine regime, on Tuesday the virus claimed 30 lives in the region. A Red Cross ambulance team had to collect the bodies urgently in order to conduct a medical burial, according to the media outlet.
Koinadugu has maintained a self-imposed quarantine for four months, following the recommendations of one expat, Momah Konte, an American businessman. Konte had worked with Koinadugu's local authorities in order to contain the disease and prevent its spread.
The health workers reported that more than 25 were infected with the deadly disease in the region, adding that another 255 have been kept under close observation since they had contacts with the Ebola victims.
The area, which is home to 260,000 people, borders Guinea, one of the most heavily-hit countries which the Ebola virus struck. The Guardian stresses that the uncontrollable movement of traders and farmers in the region increases the risk of contagion.
"The disease is widespread in the nearby districts of Bombali and Port Loko, where an appropriate response has been hampered by a lack of resources. There are no treatment centers in either district," the media outlet highlights.
The new Ebola outbreak was registered only a few days after the president of the country visited neighboring Port Loko, a district in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Corpses of Ebola victims had remained lying in houses and on open verandas there for many days, until the Red Cross collected them several days ago.
