Protesters looted Ebola clinic; patients and possibly contaminated items missing

Authorities fighting Ebola virus, as well as looters

(photo credit:  John Moore/Getty Images)

Fear can cause people to go to extreme measures to protect themselves.  But sometimes those actions can backfire, potentially manifesting what was feared in the first place.  CNN is reporting today that angry young men attacked a facility in Liberia housing patients being treated for the Ebola virus.  The attack occurred on Saturday and is a sign of the violence that ignorance can spur.  Fortunately, in this case, no one was hurt, at least not during the melee.

The facility is located in the West Point area of Monrovia.  The invasion led to many of the patients panicking and fleeing the clinic.  This was one of the worse things that could have happened, because they can now possibly contaminate others they come in contact with.  According to George Williams, head of the Health Workers Association of Liberia, "Of the 29 patients, 17 fled last night (after the assault). Nine died four days ago and three others were yesterday taken by force by their relatives.”  Those 17, as of Monday, are still considered missing.  (Continue reading full story here.)