Ebola prepared these countries for coronavirus — but now even they are floundering

Ebola prepared these countries for coronavirus — but now even they are floundering

Countries that beat Ebola face COVID-19

Health officials in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, using tools developed to combat Ebola, initially kept the coronavirus at bay. Despite efforts to test people, isolate those who test positive and quarantine their contacts, case numbers are now on the rise. The coronavirus, with all of its asymptomatic cases, has proven to be a formidable foe for these understaffed and poorly resourced health systems. Part of the problem is that the coronavirus doesn’t scare people into following advice from health officials. “With COVID, people are dying, but it’s not nearly as horrific as Ebola,” says physician Baimba Idriss.
Nature | 7 min read