by Kolapo Olapoju
A Former Sierra Leone Minister, Lansana Nyallah says he has lost nine members of his family to the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.
He said this on Tuesday, 7 August, while speaking to state owned television, ‘Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation’.
Nyallah says he has lost his brothers and sisters in the eastern village of Daru, an area which is more susceptible to the outbreak.
He said, “To those who still believe that Ebola does not exist, please take heed,” he said. He added, “Nine members of my family including my brothers and sisters are now dead from the virus. One of them was an imam who was also a radio journalist working for a community radio station in Daru.”
“Our house is now empty as no one lives there. We were told that Ebola had no cure but were not told about the chances of survival if one reports early. We have now learnt more about the disease, especially about the body-to-body contact which increases transmission,” he added.
Nyallah was until last year a Minister in President Ernest Bai Koroma’s government, until he was replaced in a cabinet reshuffle last year after several years in government.
Ebola has claimed 273 lives in Sierra Leone, while over 900 people have been killed by the pathogen since its outbreak began at the beginning of the year.
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