MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Liberia on its efforts to combat Ebola on Friday during his second visit here since the start of the outbreak that now has killed more than 6,900 people in West Africa.
“We have reasons to be cautiously optimistic that this terrible outbreak can be defeated,” said Ban at a press conference with Liberia’s president.
“Our response strategy is working – where people are gaining access to treatment, where contacts are being traced, burials are becoming safer, communities are mobilizing to protect themselves,” he said.
Nearly 3,300 of the Ebola deaths have been in Liberia, where health officials say the spread of the virus has shown signs of slowing in recent weeks.
Concern has grown about the situation in neighboring Sierra Leone, where the Ebola is now spreading the fastest in the region.