It's Creeping Closer

At times Ebola has seemed like a far off problem - even to me here in Freetown. I see news articles and I read the updates from the Ministry telling how many new cases, how many have survived and how many have died. I wash my hands with chlorine after ever possible contact, I avoid direct contact with people, I tell people about the dangers and how to stay safe, I see the information signs everywhere I go........but I didn't know anyone personally that has been diagnosed with Ebola - until now

Three staff at the Waterloo Hospital have been confirmed as having Ebola - two nurses and a lab technician. These are people that I know and admire, who have treated me when I've been admitted to the hospital. Please pray that they will recover.

At the moment there are no other suspected cases amongst the staff of Waterloo Hospital - Please God let it remain that way.

Over the last week the numbers of confirmed cases had been going up rapidly....over the last 7 days more than 150 new cases have been confirmed in Sierra Leone and the cases in the Western Area (Freetown) are growing steadily.

The sight and sounds of the 'Ebola Ambulances' are more common - these are easily spotted because the driver and crew are wearing PPE. I saw one yesterday heading into Freetown with sirens blaring. If sirens can be heard the betting is high that it will be an 'Ebola Ambulance'.

I went to Bureh Beach and I was the only visitor there, there were no children playing, no sellers selling, no fishermen fishing. As with everywhere else I had to wash my hands with chlorine water on the way in.

A couple of weeks ago people were becoming a bit blasé about Ebola, but it is being taken seriously again now. Let us pray that all of the expertise and aid that is coming into the country will be able to halt the spread.