On Ebola suspicion funeral team attacked

The Health Communication Officer of the Disease Prevention and Control Programme at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mr. Harold Thomas, has confirmed that their funeral team was last week attacked at Kingtom cemetery.

The Communication Officer made this statement in a press briefing past Saturday at the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) headquarter office at Campbell Street in Freetown.

Mr. Thomas continued that the team went to bury a body, wrongly perceived to be an Ebola victim.  He said the ministry is strictly adhering to the International Health Regulations (IHR) on the burial procedures of Ebola victims and that the 1960 Act makes it a criminal offence to obstruct health professionals in the discharge of their normal duties.

The health expert re-echoed that Ebola is real and people should not touch dead bodies of Ebola victims, people should also desist touching the sick and must avoid body fluids of Ebola patients.

Mr. Thomas informed journalists that Ebola has so far claimed 124 lives nationwide with 385 people tested positive. He concluded by calling on government to be providing security for those who go to bury Ebola victims.

Tamba M. Musa

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