Capital Berg

Keeps People Up-To-Date

Thursday, January 28, 2021
Log in
  • United States
  • Business
  • Health
  • Science
  • Technology
  • About CapitalBerg
    • Analysts & Contributors
    • Advertising
    • Contact US
    • Privacy Policy GDPR
    • Terms of Use

Pages

  • About CapitalBerg
  • Advertising
  • Analysts & Contributors
  • Contact US
  • Investor Relations
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • SEC Disclosure
  • Terms of Use

Recent Posts

  • Tennessee Rapist Breaks into Woman’s House Three Times the Same Night to Assault Her June 29, 2018
  • Mentally Ill Man Arrested After Breaking into Retirement Home to Grope a Woman’s Chest June 28, 2018
  • “Syndrome” Author Blake Leibel Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Murder and Torture of Girlfriend June 27, 2018
  • Michigan Dad to Be Sentenced in the Beating Death of 3-Year-Old Infant June 26, 2018
  • Ohio Patrolman Booted from Police After Pulling Over His Daughter and Boyfriend June 26, 2018
  • Utah Mayor Shares Heartwarming Letter of Man Apologizing for Stealing a Stop Sign 75 Years Ago June 25, 2018
  • Mississippi Man Beheaded Mother After A Spat over Credit Cards June 25, 2018

Biohazard suits and a Funeral in the age of Ebola in Sierra Leone

January 14, 2015 By Marlene R. Litten

ebola-sierra-leone

One can barely hear the prayers by the surrounding people as the body of a 31-year-old woman is carried out of her tiny house here in Freetown.

Few dozens of the neighbors, some family members came to watch the body of a woman named Maritau, while been loaded in the ambulance.

At the front of this small crowd stands Maritau’s husband Edward Kamada with their three children. He breaks down and tells us, simply, “I lost my wife.”

The youngest, Five years old boy pulls his shirt over his face to hide his tears.

This is how a funeral looks like in Free Tow which is capital of Sierra Leona and a focal point of the Ebola outbreak.

The dead body of the lady was wrapped twice in medical body bags. Her pallbearers are strangers, wearing biohazard suits and full face masks.

Andella Carew and her sister who are the part of the burial team said “I’m doing it for my country. If I don’t do it, who will?”

The sisters were sure that their personal protection equipment will keep them safe from the virus. But they admit that not everyone shares that confidence.

“My friends have abandoned me, even my boyfriend sacked me,” Fudia Kamara, Andella’s sister, says.

The ambulance already contained two dead bodies that died due to Ebola.

Eight others also died from Ebola in this area, neighbors said.

Her young widower vehemently denies it, “No, not Ebola, not Ebola!” he insists, telling us she had epilepsy and that is what killed her.

Now only a lab test will confirm whether the death reason was ebola or not. It almost doesn’t matter. Just the possibility that it might be Ebola means Maritau’s family will likely be stigmatized in their community, regardless of the result they will get in five days.

A cemetery in Freetown will be the final resting place for Maritau.  An earthmover is clearing away garbage in an adjacent dump to make more room for bodies.

On an Estimate 75 bodies are buried here each day. But not all of those have succumbed to Ebola. Virtually everyone who dies in Sierra Leone, regardless of the cause, is supposed to be given a medical funeral. There is simply no other option.

“If they continued to do traditional burials in Sierra Leone, where you wash the body, you touch the body, you kiss the body.

“If it’s a confirmed case well, there could be 10 more right there,” says Trevor Jessome, a Nova Scotian who oversees these burials and the cemetery for the charity Concern.

A Canadian epidemiologist, Dr. Bruce Aylward who is running the World Health Organization’s response to Ebola, says too many people in Sierra Leone continue to reject the safe burials. “There are still hidden burials or secret burials where people don’t want to believe their loved ones died of Ebola, and they don’t want to hand them over to a stranger to be buried,” he says.

Since October around 4000 are buried in growing cemetery in Free Town. Now someday in future when Ebola will be eradicated from the country, this cemetery will become a memorial to the many thousands of lives it took.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: biohazard suits, deaths, Ebola, funerals, lab test, Maritau, medical body bags, reports

Flu infections continue to outpace last year’s rate

January 1, 2015 By Cliff Jenkins Scott

flu-infection-continues-last-year-rate

Health officials say that Flu infections have outrun the last year’s percentage in San Diego County.

Lab has confirmed 607 influenza cases this season which were previously recorded to be 359 last season. Similarly patients seeking treatment for the flu in emergency rooms are found to be 9 percent which is thrice the rate recorded last season.

According to the county’s Health and Human Services Agency, There have been no flu-related deaths reported so far.
Public-Health experts say that there is still time for the people to get vaccinated as it only takes two weeks for the body to produce enough antibodies against the virus.

But according to the researchers the virus H3N2 have mutated this season so the vaccine doesn’t offer full protection against the virus. CDC has predicted that flu this season would be a severe one. Further research is been going to empower the vaccine.

To reduce risks of the flu thorough hand washing and use of sanitizers have been recommended by health experts. They also urge people to avoid touching their nose, eyes, nose and mouth with their fingers, and to minimize the risk of contagion by staying home when sick.

For further information and details call 211 or visit sdiz.org. People without health insurance may want to consider seeking a flu shot at one of the county’s immunization clinics.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: CDC, flu, H3N2, influenza, mutation, reports, San Diego County, vaccine

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 44 other subscribers

Recent Articles

sleep

Tennessee Rapist Breaks into Woman’s House Three Times the Same Night to Assault Her

June 29, 2018 By Denise Ehrlich Leave a Comment

police lights

Mentally Ill Man Arrested After Breaking into Retirement Home to Grope a Woman’s Chest

June 28, 2018 By Waleed Javed Leave a Comment

gavel

“Syndrome” Author Blake Leibel Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Murder and Torture of Girlfriend

June 27, 2018 By Andreas Petersen Leave a Comment

Woods

Michigan Dad to Be Sentenced in the Beating Death of 3-Year-Old Infant

June 26, 2018 By Marlene R. Litten Leave a Comment

patrol cruiser

Ohio Patrolman Booted from Police After Pulling Over His Daughter and Boyfriend

June 26, 2018 By Waleed Javed Leave a Comment

stop sign

Utah Mayor Shares Heartwarming Letter of Man Apologizing for Stealing a Stop Sign 75 Years Ago

June 25, 2018 By June Harris Leave a Comment

Butter knives

Mississippi Man Beheaded Mother After A Spat over Credit Cards

June 25, 2018 By Carol Harper Leave a Comment

XXXTentacion mugshot

Florida Authorities Arrested Suspect in Connection with Shooting of XXXTentacion

June 22, 2018 By Waleed Javed Leave a Comment

sunset over beach

Dallas Mother Accused of Beating Four-Year-Old and Dumping Body Into the Water

June 21, 2018 By Denise Ehrlich Leave a Comment

chicken Alfredo

Ohio Man Sentenced for Trying to Seduce Teenage Boy with Naked Pictures and Chicken Alfredo

June 20, 2018 By Marlene R. Litten Leave a Comment

bedroom

South Carolina Teen and Mates End Up In Slammer for Raping a Teenage Girl

June 19, 2018 By Waleed Javed Leave a Comment

cyberstalkin

California Man Arrested for Stalking Ex-Girlfriend, Hacking Her Online Accounts

June 19, 2018 By June Harris Leave a Comment

hammer

Naked Patient Sneaks out of Emergency Room to Bash Homeowner’s Head with Hammer

June 18, 2018 By Carol Harper Leave a Comment

screwdriver

Middle School Student Attacks Teacher During Class with Screwdriver

June 18, 2018 By Andreas Petersen Leave a Comment

Categories

  • Business
  • Deals
  • Health
  • Science
  • Technology
  • United States
  • World

Copyright © 2021 capitalberg.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Contact

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.