July 16. It Seemed Fine

It had rained all through the last night and the morning in Freetown. I went outside for jogging, but I changed my mind and went to Family Kingdom Hotel. Doreen was doing night shift; she did look tired, but greeted me nicely by giving a new bottle of water.

“Pa-ka! (Park!) How was Bonthe?”

I do not know why but all employees in the hotel have called my name as Pa-ka. And she showed me a bunch of room keys, indicating that most of rooms are empty.

“People are worrying Ebola. So most of them had already left. I wash my hands every 5 minutes and use hand sanitizer. Whenever I took a taxi, I don’t feel like touching a taxi door. I don’t shake hands with anyone and just say hi or wave my hands.” said Doreen.

Breakfast: Crain Crain

Even local inhabitant is trying to prevent Ebola thoroughly, only myself seems to be relaxed. I might be the most careless person who forgets to wash hands and avoid shaking hands in Freetown.

Jacob arrived at 8am sharp, so I got the office early after a long time. It seemed fine. Various mass media have been competing in reporting Ebola news, but Sierra Leone just looked OK. People were selling breakfast on the street, walking somewhere, and staffs here are busy with working. As of WHO’s GAR on July 15, a total of 603 people died of Ebola in West Africa. In Sierra Leone, there are 386 Ebola cases and 194 Ebola deaths. However, it should be much more than that. People in rural area still believe Ebola is just myth, and hide their family member who is infected by Ebola because they believe hospitalization is Death Sentence.

This is the best article about Ebola that I have ever read.

<As Ebola stalks West Africa, medics fight mistrust, hostility>

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/07/13/us-health-ebola-westafrica-idUKKBN0FI0P520140713

I received e-mail from International SOS in the afternoon. They only provide assistance to people who are sick. They advised me that since I am in Freetown, I must take extra precautions such as: hygiene, avoid contact with sick people, do not go to hospitals which treat Ebola patients, do not attend to local funerals, or eat “bush meat.” They also added that if I follow these precautions, my chances to get Ebola are close to zero.

Jacob and Mr.Musa are going back to Mattru.

The problem is I cannot always precautious every 5 minutes to wash hands. How much should I be careful of hygiene? How do I know who sick people are on the street? I am already in Ebola affected area, Freetown, and I have also been to Bo and Moyamba, other affected areas.

Ebola is already out of control in West Africa, and the WHO said the status is precarious. However, again, it seemed fine. My friends in Freetown are all fine, and everything looked fine. But I cannot get Ebola out of my head day or night.