Just when it appears the Ebola epidemic in Western Africa can not become more tragic, we read this report by Abby Phillip, of the Washington Post–
Eight dead in attack on Ebola team in Guinea. ‘Killed in cold blood.
The bodies of eight people, including several health workers and three journalists, have been found days after they were attacked while distributing information about Ebola in a Guinean village near the city of Nzerekore, according to Reuters.
"The eight bodies were found in the village latrine," Albert Damantang Camara, a spokesman for Guinea's government, told Reuters on Thursday. "Three of them had their throats slit."
When the delegation arrived on Tuesday to do disinfection work and educate people about preventing Ebola, angry and fearful residents began throwing rocks and beating people in the group with clubs according to the Los Angeles Times, which cited Guinean radio reports. The delegation, which included one local politician, fled into the bush to escape the attackers.
In an area where the literacy rate is reported to be near zero percent, false rumors spread easily. In previous articles here, we have read reports of villagers believing that health workers have spread Ebola, or that westerners are there to 'harvest African's body parts for the black market."
Health workers have been prevented from even entering some regions. A government delegation sent to the village to inquire about the previously missing health workers was unable to reach the village because the main access bridge was destroyed to prevent their arrival.
According to the World Health Organization, at least 2,622 people have died and 5,335 have been infected in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal.
Let's hope the U.S. humanitarian mission just announced by President Obama arrives soon and restores order. Some questioned why the military was being sent. It is not just because of their excellent capabilities in logistics, health, and knowledge of biowarfare protection.
The situation in these infected areas is expected to become much worse before we have any chances of things getting better.