Peace Corps begins removing volunteers from West Africa due to Ebola

Two Peace Corps volunteers have been moved into isolation and kept under strict observation after having been exposed to a person who later died of the deadly Ebola virus, a Peace Corps spokeswoman said on Wednesday. The spokeswoman said that the two volunteers will be returned to the United States once they’ve been cleared for travel.

“Two Peace Corps volunteers have had contact with an individual who later died of the Ebola virus,” the spokeswoman said. “These volunteers are not symptomatic and are currently isolated and under observation.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the United States Peace Corps said that it will be pulling 340 volunteers from the West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea in response to the spreading Ebola virus that has already killed 672 people in the countries since February. Currently, the Peace Corps has 130 volunteers in Sierra Leone, 108 in Liberia, and 102 in Guinea who are working the areas of agriculture, education, and health.

“The Peace Corps today announced that it is temporarily removing its volunteers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea due to the increasing spread of the Ebola virus,” the group said in a statement.

One United States citizen has already died from Ebola in Nigeria after having been infected in Liberia, according to the State Department. Two other United States citizens, Doctor Kent Brantly and missionary Nancy Writebol, have also been infected with Ebola and are in serious condition, but have fortunately shown slight improvement.

Read more about the story at The Washington Post.