Ebola strikes UNMIL – staff Fear grips many

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and head of UNMIL, Ms Karin Landgren, has confirmed  here that an international staff of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has tested positive of the deadly Ebola virus.

The staff member, who works for UNMIL medical team, is currently receiving treatment. According to a press statement issued in Monrovia on Wednesday, SRSG Ms. Karin Landgren said this is the second case of Ebola within the mission.

An earlier probable case resulted to the death of a staff member on 25 September 2014; “Our thoughts are with the staff member family, friends and colleagues”, she said.

In line with World Health Organization protocols, the UNMIL medical team has conducted tracing to ensure that all those who came in contact with both staff members while they were showing symptoms of the virus are quarantined.

UNMIL has taken all necessary measures to prevent any possible further transmission within or outside the mission, and all UNMIL staff considered at risk has been isolated, and ambulances and other locations decontaminated.

Meanwhile the Mission is extending the robust review of its own action initiated in the wake of the first probable case of Ebola virus. SRSG Landgren said UNMIL will continue to strengthen the mitigation measures that they had until late September to help the military, police, and affected areas.

With Liberia facing its gravest threat since the civil war ended in 2003, UNMIL commitment to the country is steadfast, and the mission will continue to do all that it can do within its range of capabilities to help roll back the deadly Ebola virus from Liberia, the release concluded.