Officials in Sierra Leone lament 'defeat' by Ebola

Officials in Sierra Leone lament &#039;defeat&#039; by Ebola

(Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

Health officials fighting the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone said the virus has effectively overwhelmed their efforts, The New York Times reports.

Plans put into motion on Friday focus on assisting families who must care for relatives at home, because Sierra Leone's treatment facilities are too full to accept more Ebola cases.

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The World Health Organization reported this week that Sierra Leone currently has 304 Ebola treatment spots open for patients, but that at least 1,148 are needed. For those patients who cannot be admitted to a treatment facility, health workers are instead sending painkillers, gloves, and other materials to family members who must now act as caretakers. But those people's ability to provide assistance is still incredibly limited.

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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

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