The president of Ebola-stricken Liberia told NBC News on Tuesday that it was an overreaction for some U.S. states to order quarantines for health workers who have treated patients in West Africa.
In an exclusive interview with NBC News's Chris Jansing, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf also expressed concern about the stigmatizing of Liberians living abroad.
Asked whether she was worried Americans would stop coming to Liberia to help, she said: 'I'm not worried, but I'm a little bit concerned because we believe it's an overreaction.'
'We understand the fears,' she added. 'There's fear even in our own society. But we think that fear can be overcome with the right messaging from leaders.'
The World Health Organization has recorded more than 4,600 cases of Ebola in Liberia, almost half the 10,000 cases around the world. The virus has killed more than 2,700 people there. Nearly 5,000 people have died from Ebola worldwide, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Johnson also said that 7,000 people in her country are being tracked by disease detectives because they have been in contact with someone who is infected.
But she stressed progress: Liberia is building 17 specialized Ebola treatment units and is equipping more than 600 community care centers so they can respond to anyone the disease detectives turn up who is sick.
'We feel a little bit confident that we're now beating the disease, but we also remain cautious that it's still with us, and we have a long way to go,' she said.
The issue of quarantines flared in the United States after the governors of New York and New Jersey ordered them for health workers who may have been exposed to Ebola in Africa, even if they have no symptoms and are therefore not contagious.
Health officials have warned that expansive quarantines could discourage health workers from going to Africa to help and subject them to stigma at home.
Sirleaf told NBC News that the world can't afford to stop sending help.
'We welcome them, and we want to see larger numbers,' she said.
First published October 28 2014, 1:49 PM
Chris JansingChris Jansing is an MSNBC anchor and host of Jansing and Co., which airs weekdays on MSNBC at 10 a.m. ET, as well as an NBC news correspondent and anchor. Jansing joined NBC News in June 1998. She anchored MSNBC’s coverage of the terrorist attacks on September 11 as the events unfolded. She has extensively covered several presidential campaigns and hosted a series of primetime reports called “Battleground America.†She has anchored major breaking stories including Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans; the shooting tragedies in Tucson and Aurora, Colorado; the nuclear crisis in Japan; and the Olympic Games in Torino, Vancouver and London. Jansing was also in London for the Royal Wedding, and Rome for the beatification of Pope John Paul II. She was with Pope John Paul II during his historic visit to Israel, and anchored MSNBC’s coverage from Rome for his funeral as well as the election of Pope Benedict. Her reporting for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and the TODAY Show has included the 2008 presidential campaign, the volcano eruption in Iceland, and the death of Michael Jackson. She has filed reports from Bolivia to Vietnam to Afghanistan, and across the U.S. Jansing’s duties also include work as a correspondent for Dateline NBC, Rock Center, and as a substitute anchor for Weekend TODAY and the weekend edition of NBC Nightly News. Before joining the NBC News team, Jansing co-anchored the nightly news for WNYT-TV Albany, where she was honored with numerous awards for excellence in journalism, including two Emmys. She also received many community service awards for her commitment to children. A native of Ohio, Jansing graduated with honors from Otterbein College and holds two honorary doctorates. She lives in New York City.
Posted by Unknown on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
0 comments "Liberian President: US Quarantines for Ebola Health Workers an 'Overreaction'"
Post a Comment