Ebola returns with a 17-year old boy death in Liberia

The deadly Ebola virus that had previously shaken the African nations to its core seems to have come back. Just seven weeks ago, the WHO had declared the country free of Ebola and now a 17-year old boy in Liberia has died of Ebola. This death brings back all the horrific times that the many African nations including Liberia had to go through. The New York Times had previously reported that the teenager had died on 24 June in Nedowein, a town located close to the Liberian International Airport. The report noted that the boy was diagnosed with Ebola. Following the report, the country’s health division started an investigation so as to find how the boy might have got infected by the virus. The head of Liberia’s Ebola response team, Nyeswah, has asked the country’s citizens to remain calm as there haven’t been any other cases of Ebola yet. He said,” A new case of Ebola has been reported in Margibi County. The person has died and was confirmed positive before death. He has been buried.”  He also told a radio station that the experts had traced and quarantined anyone who may have come in contact with the victim but did not give out any details about the patient.

Ever since Ebola first broke out, there have been considerable efforts to find a cure. However, nothing promising has been achieved yet and all the proposed drugs are in developing phase. According to a new study published in the Science Translational Medicine on June 13, the Canadian scientists have announced the successful treatment of Ebola viral infections in monkeys. The researchers from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Manitoba had identified a number of antibodies that corresponded to the proteins on the shell of the Ebola virus. Till now there is no known treatment for Ebola in humans but the doctors can offer supportive therapy, such as hydration, oxygen and treatment of complicating infections, but the mortality rates are still very high. Because of the lack of treatment there have been 28 documented outbreaks which have lead to 2,288 human cases and 1,331 deaths, according to the records maintained till 2011.

Liberia and its surrounding nations like Sierra Leone and Guinea are all tackling the problem of Ebola’s outbreak. It has killed 11,000 people in the regions combined. The health officials have started preparations should there be another outbreak. The World Health Organization has also been informed about the situation and they are expected to take the necessary steps to stop Ebola from spreading in these lands again.