WEBVTT

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I am professor Hans Rosling. This shows the Ebola outbreak in Liberia.

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The number of newly infected patients per day.

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It started in March with very few cases.

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And it increased very slowly until in July and in August,

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that's when the catastrophic increase occured and the epidemic went up like this.

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There were 60 cases per day or more! There were dead people in the streets of the capital.

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And the world health organization projected that IF actions are not taken it will continue like this.

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But the actions were taken!

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The government, media, the religious leaders, non governmental organizations informed the population about the risk.

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The national health service, doctors and nurses, and international support provided isolation and treatment for the patients.

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And the red cross and other organizations provided safe burial and this is what happened:

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It fell down very rapidly until the end of the year and then slower and slower and slower, but steadily down.

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And this is the character of an ebola outbreak: it starts slowly and it will end slowly.

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Because now every single case needs to be identified and every contact followed so that the virus cannot find its way to new human beings.

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In Liberia, it may end within a month or two because now its just one case every third day.

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The neighboring countries: Guinea and Sierra Leone are following but they are somewhat behind and it will take several more months for them to reach zero.

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And the only safe level is zero cases in all the three countries.

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And resources must be maintained until the day that has been achieved.