Panic, Fear in Ebola-Plagued Liberia Is Tangible

MONROVIA, Liberia -- In Liberia, the panic and anxiety are palpable as U.S. troops begin setting up the first of 20 medical clinics to help roll back the Ebola crisis. The few Ebola treatment centers that are open are overwhelmed and understaffed with the sick and dying. Dozens of victims are succumbing daily. CBN News arrived late Monday night at the international airport in the capital city of Monrovia -- the front line of defense against Ebola. Each person is checked coming in and also leaving the country. The moment CBN News stepped off the plane, each passenger had to wash their hands with bleach. A few feet away, nurses stood armed with thermometers to check temperature. With 3,300 fatalities, Liberia has accounted for more than half of the world's deaths from the virus. Despite promises from the government that the situation is under control, people on the streets aren't buying it. Residents are afraid of one another. There's no touching, no hugging, no pats on the back. Basically, people are keeping at least a full arm's-length apart from each other. Meanwhile, CBN's Operation Blessing has been on the ground helping. This week, the group will set up an additional six chlorine generators capable of producing hundreds of gallons of chlorine a day. The generators will allow thousands to wash their hands thoroughly in chlorine water and then with soap to stop the virus. Ten more units are being dispatched. Some 100 chlorinated hand-washing stations will also be delivered to affected villages far from the capital city. In addition, a 40-foot shipping container full of critical supplies like gloves, masks and bed linens will make their way to Ebola treatment centers. Meanwhile, the daily urgency to get the word out about prevention continues. Teams of volunteers are holding awareness seminars across the country to make sure residents follow critical hygiene steps to keep from getting the virus. CBN News will continue to bring you the latest on Operation Blessing's outreach and daily behind-the-scenes reports on life in the Ebola hot zone on CBN News.com, Facebook and Twitter.