There have been two new outbreaks of Ebola in two weeks; the first in the Democratic Republic of Congo, followed by Guinea. Health teams are trying to contain the spread of the disease by increasing contact tracing and providing medical support to local authorities. 

Guinea declared an Ebola epidemic on 14 February after three people died and four others became ill in the rural southeast of the country. It is the first reported outbreak in West Africa since a region-wide pandemic ended five years ago after claiming more than 11,000 lives.

The initial case in Guinea’s new outbreak involved a nurse in rural Gouéké who died on 28 January, and the six other reported cases were people who had attended her 1 February funeral. 

This current outbreak is very close to the border of Sierra Leone and there is a real threat and fear that it will spread. Ebola is a virus which spreads through contact with body fluids. It does have a much higher death rate than the Coronavirus, but is not spread by asymptomatic carriers.

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has reportedly flown to Guinea to consult with Guinean President Alpha Condé.

Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia bore the brunt of the 2014-2016 West African Ebola outbreak – which began in Guinea – and killed 11,300 people. 

Aid agencies are warning that speed is key to containing the spread of the virus, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Guinean Red Cross say teams that include more than 2,500 volunteers have been activated in Guinea to provide contact tracing, psychosocial support, water, and sanitation.

Magnus Bendu asks for prayer for our communities in Sierra Leone

• Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone and for the grieving families of those who have died from the disease. 
• Memories of the 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola are still very fresh in the minds of everyone. Please pray that this one will be quickly contained.

Thank you for your financial and prayer support for the Sierra Leone Mission, it is deeply appreciated.

Sources: The New Humanitarian

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