A SECOND NORTH American doctor has been quarantined in connection with ebola, as the death toll from an African outbreak of the deadly virus climbed to 672.
Azaria Marthyman of Victoria, British Columbia in Canada had worked in Liberia, one of four countries hit by an outbreak, with the Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse.
He has not tested positive for the virus, nor shown any symptoms since returning to Canada on Saturday, but one of his American colleagues, doctor Kent Brantly, is being treated for the disease.
Brantly’s wife Amber last night released a statement through Samaritan’s Purse where she said her husband remained weak.
We have a strong family unit within a stronger faith community that has given us incredible support. Kent remains very physically weak but his spirit has been determined throughout this ordeal.
“This is a challenging time for our family. We will not be speaking to the media at this time. We ask that you respect our privacy.
“We ask for your continued prayers for Kent, his colleague, Nancy Writebol, and the healthcare workers in Liberia struggling to meet the overwhelming demands of those who are sick with the Ebola virus as well as patients who have come to that hospital with other needs.”
Doctors in danger
Yesterday, Dr. Sheik Humarr Khan, who was praised as a national hero for treating the disease in Sierra Leone, was confirmed dead by health ministry officials there. He had been hospitalised in quarantine. The disease has no vaccine and no specific treatment. It has a fatality rate of around 60%.
Liberian authorities have introduced screening at airports after it was found that an American man of Liberian descent had flown numerous times in the days leading up to his death.
Since March, there have been 1,201 cases of Ebola and 672 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ebola can fell victims within days, causing severe fever and muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding.
The highly contagious and often fatal disease spreads among humans via bodily fluids, including sweat, meaning one can get sick from touching an infected person.
With no vaccine, patients believed to have caught the virus must be isolated to prevent further contagion.
AP and AFP contributed reporting
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