Nurse Bitten by Ebola Patient Flown to Switzerland for Treatment

An unidentified nurse bitten by an Ebola patient in Sierra Leone was flown to Switzerland on Monday. He arrived at Geneva’s University Hospital to receive medical treatment. The bite occurred during a three-day shut down in the West African country in an effort to slow down the deadly disease.

The child bit him on Saturday. However, experts believe “there is little chance” he is in infected with Ebola since he wore the proper medical equipment. He will stay at the hospital “for the incubation period of three weeks.”

Health officials identified 130 Ebola cases during the shutdown and many people buried without official permission. Authorities said there are still 39 cases under investigation. The country’s six million residents stayed home while 30,000 workers went “door to door to educate about Ebola and find people who might be spreading the deadly disease.”

Half of the 77 bodies found buried tested positive for Ebola. Authorities properly buried the victims, but one burial team was attacked on Saturday. The team in an undisclosed location attempted to bury five bodies, but residents attacked them. The officials returned with a police escort and managed to bury the bodies.

The outbreak in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea started in the beginning of the year. Locals, due to fear and lack of education, constantly attack health officials and aid workers. In Africa, families wash and embrace the dead. Ebola is forcing them to change their ways since the disease is contagious through body fluids.

The World Health Organization said there are over 2,800 Ebola victims and more than 5,800 cases in the three countries. Sierra Leone has 1,813 cases and 593 deaths.