After twice being declared Ebola-free, Liberia is reporting new cases of the disease.
After
twice
being
declared
Ebola-free
,
Liberia
is
reporting
new
cases
of
the
disease
.
The first case that was confirmed, according to the World Health Organization, was a 10-year-old boy in the capital, Monrovia.
The
first
case
that
was
confirmed
,
according
to
the
World
Health
Organization
,
was
a
10-year-old
boy
in
the
capital
,
Monrovia
.
He fell ill on Nov. 14, was hospitalized a few days later and confirmed as having Ebola Thursday.
He
fell
ill
on
Nov.
14
,
was
hospitalized
a
few
days
later
and
confirmed
as
having
Ebola
Thursday
.
It's still unclear how the boy became infected, says WHO's special representative on Ebola, Bruce Aylward.
It
's
still
unclear
how
the
boy
became
infected
,
says
WHO
's
special
representative
on
Ebola
,
Bruce
Aylward
.
"The child has no known history of contact with a survivor or being at a funeral or travel or the other factors we normally look for in the initial investigation to explain a new case."
``
The
child
has
no
known
history
of
contact
with
a
survivor
or
being
at
a
funeral
or
travel
or
the
other
factors
we
normally
look
for
in
the
initial
investigation
to
explain
a
new
case
.
''
Aylward says.
Aylward
says
.
He also said that his office believes this case is linked to what he calls "persistence of the virus" in the semen of male Ebola survivors.
He
also
said
that
his
office
believes
this
case
is
linked
to
what
he
calls
``
persistence
of
the
virus
''
in
the
semen
of
male
Ebola
survivors
.
The virus has been shown to remain present in some survivors' semen for nine months or more.
The
virus
has
been
shown
to
remain
present
in
some
survivors
'
semen
for
nine
months
or
more
.
But he stresses that the transmission route, particularly in the case of this boy, may not be sexual.
But
he
stresses
that
the
transmission
route
,
particularly
in
the
case
of
this
boy
,
may
not
be
sexual
.
"It could be dirty bedclothes, but the mode of transmission is not clear."
``
It
could
be
dirty
bedclothes
,
but
the
mode
of
transmission
is
not
clear
.
''
The Ministry of Health is now confirming two additional cases.
The
Ministry
of
Health
is
now
confirming
two
additional
cases
.
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which began in December 2013, killed more than 11,000 people.
The
Ebola
outbreak
in
West
Africa
,
which
began
in
December
2013
,
killed
more
than
11,000
people
.
The first case in Liberia was confirmed on March 30, 2014.
The
first
case
in
Liberia
was
confirmed
on
March
30
,
2014
.
More than 17,000 others survived.
More
than
17,000
others
survived
.
The concern is that they continue to be sources of the deadly virus.
The
concern
is
that
they
continue
to
be
sources
of
the
deadly
virus
.
Doctors have found Ebola staying in the eyes and spinal fluid of some survivors.
Doctors
have
found
Ebola
staying
in
the
eyes
and
spinal
fluid
of
some
survivors
.
"There are questions about whether the virus can persist in the blood or the urine or other places," Aylward says.
``
There
are
questions
about
whether
the
virus
can
persist
in
the
blood
or
the
urine
or
other
places
,
''
Aylward
says
.
"But the only place that we have evidence that it persists at any appreciable level is in the semen."
``
But
the
only
place
that
we
have
evidence
that
it
persists
at
any
appreciable
level
is
in
the
semen
.
''
Over the past year as the number of Ebola cases dropped dramatically, there have been at least seven cases of what WHO calls "re-emergence" of the virus linked to semen.
Over
the
past
year
as
the
number
of
Ebola
cases
dropped
dramatically
,
there
have
been
at
least
seven
cases
of
what
WHO
calls
``
re-emergence
''
of
the
virus
linked
to
semen
.
Aylward says that with so many Ebola survivors right now in West Africa, "You've got to treat it (additional cases) as being unavoidable in terms of your preparedness."
Aylward
says
that
with
so
many
Ebola
survivors
right
now
in
West
Africa
,
``
You
've
got
to
treat
it
(
additional
cases
)
as
being
unavoidable
in
terms
of
your
preparedness
.
''
He adds that this new case shows that Liberia is now well-prepared to identify, isolate and treat cases if and when they do appear.
He
adds
that
this
new
case
shows
that
Liberia
is
now
well-prepared
to
identify
,
isolate
and
treat
cases
if
and
when
they
do
appear
.
Liberia had previously been declared Ebola-free on May 9, but four cases surfaced after that date.
Liberia
had
previously
been
declared
Ebola-free
on
May
9
,
but
four
cases
surfaced
after
that
date
.
A second Ebola-free declaration was made on Sept. 3.
A
second
Ebola-free
declaration
was
made
on
Sept.
3
.
After twice being declared Ebola-free, Liberia is reporting new cases of the disease.  The first case that was confirmed, according to the World Health Organization, was a 10-year-old boy in the capital, Monrovia. He fell ill on Nov. 14, was hospitalized a few days later and confirmed as having Ebola Thursday.  It's still unclear how the boy became infected, says WHO's special representative on Ebola, Bruce Aylward. "The child has no known history of contact with a survivor or being at a funeral or travel or the other factors we normally look for in the initial investigation to explain a new case." Aylward says. He also said that his office believes this case is linked to what he calls "persistence of the virus" in the semen of male Ebola survivors. The virus has been shown to remain present in some survivors' semen for nine months or more. But he stresses that the transmission route, particularly in the case of this boy, may not be sexual. "It could be dirty bedclothes, but the mode of transmission is not clear."  The Ministry of Health is now confirming two additional cases.  The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which began in December 2013, killed more than 11,000 people. The first case in Liberia was confirmed on March 30, 2014. More than 17,000 others survived. The concern is that they continue to be sources of the deadly virus. Doctors have found Ebola staying in the eyes and spinal fluid of some survivors.  "There are questions about whether the virus can persist in the blood or the urine or other places," Aylward says. "But the only place that we have evidence that it persists at any appreciable level is in the semen." Over the past year as the number of Ebola cases dropped dramatically, there have been at least seven cases of what WHO calls "re-emergence" of the virus linked to semen.  Aylward says that with so many Ebola survivors right now in West Africa, "You've got to treat it (additional cases) as being unavoidable in terms of your preparedness." He adds that this new case shows that Liberia is now well-prepared to identify, isolate and treat cases if and when they do appear.  Liberia had previously been declared Ebola-free on May 9, but four cases surfaced after that date. A second Ebola-free declaration was made on Sept. 3.