Ebola in Sierra Leone

General News, first prize stories

August 19, 2014

Residents of the town of Kailahun gather along a river at dusk. At the time, Kailahun district, in eastern Sierra Leone, was the most heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak, which originated across the nearby border with Guinea.

The first cases of a new outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Sierra Leone were reported in May. There is no cure for Ebola, and the fatality rate can be as high as 90 percent. The virus causes high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as internal and external bleeding. It is highly contagious, being passed on by sweat, blood and other bodily fluids. Extreme care has to be taken to avoid infection while treating patients, and in burying victims. The healthcare system in Sierra Leone, one of the world’s poorest countries, was not equipped to cope with the disease, and assistance from foreign NGOs became crucial. By the end of the year, 2,758 people had died of Ebola in Sierra Leone. The disease also ravaged neighboring Guinea and Liberia, with 7,880 deaths reported across the three countries overall in 2014.

Commissioned by: Prime for National Geographic / The Washington Post

Photo Credit: Pete Muller

Pete Muller (b. 1982) is an award-winning photographer and multimedia producer based in Nairobi, Kenya. His work often explores issues of nationalism, conflict and postcolonial states. Through a combination of photography, text and video recordings, he strives to create images and material that demand emotional and intellectual consideration to the lives and experiences of those depicted.

From 2009 through 2012, he was based in South Sudan, working on a long-term project that examines South Sudan’s complex transition to independence. This work explores how the new country is grappling with the challenges of nation-state formation and national identity in the 21st century. In addition, Muller has worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mali, Afghanistan, the Palestinian Territories, Somalia, and South Africa.

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