First day of school in Liberia after 7 months of closure forced by the Ebola outbreak. This is a consequence of the significant decline in the number of new cases since the early 2015. Liberia reopens schools four weeks after Guinea, and six weeks after Sierra Leone. The three countries are at the epicenter of the epidemic erupted in December 2013. It has infected 23,500 people, 9,380 died, according to the latest report from WHO.
60% of Ebola patients do not survive. Musa Pabai is a survivor, or since he left the hospital in November, this is the first time he returns home. He imposed exile to protect his wife. And Leen Verhenne, medical coordinator in here gives the reason:
"Semen remains infected 90 days after the onset of symptoms. Also, every male survivor who leaves our medical facility, we give her condoms during this period, we believe it is very important that they have protected sex at that time. "
According to epidemiologists, the Ebola decline is largely due to improved hygiene, hand washing, the traçabilitié and monitoring of contacts, and also to changes in burial rituals that facilitate contagion.
But in recent weeks, the decline has slowed down, threatening the goal of WHO "zero new cases" in April.
Ebola has also damaged the health systems of the three West African countries and their economies.
GDP of the affected region fell by 12%, agricultural production is halved. According to experts, a long-term support is essential to deal with the disastrous economic and social impact of the epidemic.
But it will mainly combat prejudice, conspiracy theories surrounding the epidemic, stigma survivors, and habits, to finally defeat the dreaded virus.
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