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| Liberia Expanding Space for Ebola Patient Care | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Doctors Without Borders began accepting patients on Sunday at what is intended to be the organization’s largest-ever Ebola treatment center, near Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. | Doctors Without Borders began accepting patients on Sunday at what is intended to be the organization’s largest-ever Ebola treatment center, near Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. |
| The opening came a day after an improvised holding center at a former school in the densely packed West Point neighborhood of Monrovia was overrun by protesters who broke through the gates and carried away patients and supplies, including contaminated mattresses. | The opening came a day after an improvised holding center at a former school in the densely packed West Point neighborhood of Monrovia was overrun by protesters who broke through the gates and carried away patients and supplies, including contaminated mattresses. |
| On Sunday, the community’s elders and leadership apologized for the disturbance, and public health workers hoped to reopen the West Point center on Monday, said Samuel Tarplah, 48, a nurse who ran it. “I believe we will get all the patients back,” he added. | On Sunday, the community’s elders and leadership apologized for the disturbance, and public health workers hoped to reopen the West Point center on Monday, said Samuel Tarplah, 48, a nurse who ran it. “I believe we will get all the patients back,” he added. |
| The new Doctors Without Borders treatment unit, a series of large white tents on the grounds of the Eternal Love Winning Africa mission hospital in Paynesville, is designed to hold an initial 120 patients and then to be expanded to accept up to 400. | The new Doctors Without Borders treatment unit, a series of large white tents on the grounds of the Eternal Love Winning Africa mission hospital in Paynesville, is designed to hold an initial 120 patients and then to be expanded to accept up to 400. |
| “I think it will be full very fast, and the situation will continue to get worse,” said Lindis Hurum, a project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Monrovia. “In general it is a very difficult and alarming situation. I can’t stress it enough.” | “I think it will be full very fast, and the situation will continue to get worse,” said Lindis Hurum, a project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Monrovia. “In general it is a very difficult and alarming situation. I can’t stress it enough.” |
| A treatment center in the north of the country, in Lofa County, was also overwhelmed with at least 140 patients on Saturday, Ms. Hurum said. Her group has only about nine doctors and nurses from outside the country working in Liberia, she said. | A treatment center in the north of the country, in Lofa County, was also overwhelmed with at least 140 patients on Saturday, Ms. Hurum said. Her group has only about nine doctors and nurses from outside the country working in Liberia, she said. |
| The Health Ministry reported that, as of Friday, 450 people who had or were suspected to have had the disease had died. | The Health Ministry reported that, as of Friday, 450 people who had or were suspected to have had the disease had died. |
| On Sunday, patients with symptoms of Ebola waited outdoors on the hospital grounds as a storm battered the city with rain. At least nine patients were admitted to the new unit, which Doctors Without Borders said would be scaled up gradually as staffing allowed. | On Sunday, patients with symptoms of Ebola waited outdoors on the hospital grounds as a storm battered the city with rain. At least nine patients were admitted to the new unit, which Doctors Without Borders said would be scaled up gradually as staffing allowed. |
| President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in an interview last week, said she hoped the new unit, and a smaller one at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in the capital area that was scheduled to open Sunday, would relieve the space problem. | President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in an interview last week, said she hoped the new unit, and a smaller one at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in the capital area that was scheduled to open Sunday, would relieve the space problem. |
| The rush of people reporting for testing and isolation has come in part, doctors say, from increased public awareness messages in the media . | The rush of people reporting for testing and isolation has come in part, doctors say, from increased public awareness messages in the media . |
| “In our society, it’s very difficult, with a family member in the home, that they will not attempt to help,” Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf said in the interview. “Our culture is to shake hands, to hug, to help.” | “In our society, it’s very difficult, with a family member in the home, that they will not attempt to help,” Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf said in the interview. “Our culture is to shake hands, to hug, to help.” |
| Liberian health officials opened the West Point center last week to provide a place for people exposed to Ebola or showing symptoms to be isolated and tested, to avoid passing the virus, which spreads through contact with body fluids, to their family members. | Liberian health officials opened the West Point center last week to provide a place for people exposed to Ebola or showing symptoms to be isolated and tested, to avoid passing the virus, which spreads through contact with body fluids, to their family members. |
| Dr. Walter T. Gwenigale, Liberia’s minister of health and social welfare, said that the protesters had been angry because patients from outside West Point had been brought there. “We had promised them we would not take people from other areas into their community,” he said. “We didn’t have other places to take people.” | Dr. Walter T. Gwenigale, Liberia’s minister of health and social welfare, said that the protesters had been angry because patients from outside West Point had been brought there. “We had promised them we would not take people from other areas into their community,” he said. “We didn’t have other places to take people.” |
| Dr. Gwenigale said that one of the most pressing issues for the country was regular health care. Many hospitals have shut down because patients fear contracting Ebola at them. | Dr. Gwenigale said that one of the most pressing issues for the country was regular health care. Many hospitals have shut down because patients fear contracting Ebola at them. |
| Making matters worse, protective gear was not yet reaching hospitals in sufficient amounts. | Making matters worse, protective gear was not yet reaching hospitals in sufficient amounts. |
| “Without these gloves and all, we are all very scared to see patients at all,” said Dr. Jimi Benson, founder and director of Benson Hospital in Paynesville. | “Without these gloves and all, we are all very scared to see patients at all,” said Dr. Jimi Benson, founder and director of Benson Hospital in Paynesville. |
| Dr. Benson said that patients were reporting to the hospital with symptoms suggesting Ebola, but that could be other illnesses. “If we are not well dressed, that means we are taking a chance. There’s no sign for us to know that this patient coming in is an Ebola patient.” | Dr. Benson said that patients were reporting to the hospital with symptoms suggesting Ebola, but that could be other illnesses. “If we are not well dressed, that means we are taking a chance. There’s no sign for us to know that this patient coming in is an Ebola patient.” |
| He said some staff members, whose families had beseeched them not to report to work, “are saying: ‘I’m going. I take oath to help my people.’ ” | He said some staff members, whose families had beseeched them not to report to work, “are saying: ‘I’m going. I take oath to help my people.’ ” |
| Dr. David Nabarro, who was appointed last week to coordinate the United Nations’ Ebola response, wrote in a text message on Sunday that the people most at risk of the disease and those fighting it had showed “courage and dedication.” | Dr. David Nabarro, who was appointed last week to coordinate the United Nations’ Ebola response, wrote in a text message on Sunday that the people most at risk of the disease and those fighting it had showed “courage and dedication.” |