Third American Contracts Ebola, CDC Warns Epidemic Is "Out of Control"
A third American has contracted Ebola while in Liberia. The unidentified man is a doctor who was working in obstetrics—not the Ebola unit—at a hospital in the capital of Monrovia. According to The Guardian, it's not clear how he got infected with the virus. He's employed by the missionary group SIM.
SIM President Bruce Johnson told The Guardian:
My heart was deeply saddened, but my faith was not shaken, when I learned another of our missionary doctors contracted Ebola. As a global mission, we are surrounding our missionary with prayer, as well as our Liberian SIM/ELWA colleagues, who continue fighting the Ebola epidemic in Liberia. We have gifted Liberian doctors, medical staff and support staff who are carrying on the fight.
The two other Americans infected with Ebola are recovering thanks in part to the experimental drug ZMapp. Dr. Kent Brantly has now tested negative for the virus, and Nancy Writebol is slowly regaining strength.
The Ebola epidemic is far from over, however. CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden warned today that the "window of opportunity to turn it around is closing." He noted that "this is the first epidemic spreading widely throughout country and many countries, and it's spiraling out of control. It's bad now, much worse than the numbers show. It's going to get even worse in the very near future" without properly funded, decisive action. There are currently 3,000 reported cases of Ebola.
[Image via AP]