The US State Department on Thursday ordered the departure of all
family members at its embassy in Liberia, one of the four West African
nations hit hard by the Ebola virus.
"The State Department today ordered the departure from Monrovia of all
eligible family members not employed by post in the coming days,"
department spokesperson Marie Harf said in a statement.
She said the US Embassy in Liberia suggested the step "out of an
abundance of caution," adding that "Washington was focusing its
efforts on helping US citizens in the country as well as the Liberian
government, international health organizations and local
non-governmental organizations to deal with the unprecedented Ebola
outbreak."
Meanwhile, additional disease specialists, including 12 disease
prevention specialists from the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and a 13-member Disaster Assistance Response Team, were
sent to Liberia.
The State Department also warned the US nationals not to travel to Liberia.
The Ebola outbreak in March has sickened 1,711 people and killed 932
so far in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, according to the
World Health Organization (WHO). The virus is spread through direct
contact with the bodily fluids of those infected.
Liberia and Sierra Leone account for more than 60 percent of the
deaths, according to the WHO.
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