Mali says a nurse has died of Ebola, the second confirmed death in that West African country.  But this case is unrelated to that of the first patient, a two-year old girl brought across the border from Guinea by her grandmother. 

Most of the people exposed to little Fanta Conde are being released from quarantine this week.  She fell ill last month, and her grandmother defied the rest of the family who do not believe in modern medicine, taking her by bus to Mali for treatment.  Mali acted quickly and isolated those exposed to her.  21-days later, and none appear to have caught Ebola.

But in the capital city Bamako, authorities have quarantined a clinic where another patient from guinea, this time a man, had sought treatment.  In addition to the dead nurse, a doctor is reportedly sick and in isolation.  Unlike the situation in the worst hit countries where Ebola is ravaging poor urban centers, this clinic is in Bamako’s best community.  The ACI-2000 neighborhood is well planned with water and sewer services.

The West African Ebola Outbreak has infected more than 14,000 patients and killed almost 5,000.  The situation is worst in the sprawling and overcrowded slums of the capitals of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.  Because Ebola is spread through the infected bodily fluids of highly symptomatic patients, healthcare workers are at great risk. 

In Sierra Leone, another doctor is confirmed to have the potentially lethal virus.  Dr. Martin Sallia of Connaught Hospital in Freetown tested positive on Tuesday.  He initially tested negative on Friday and was discharged but when his symptoms did not alleviate he was tested again and proved positive.  He’s the sixth doctor in Sierra Leone to catch the virus. 

This comes as Sierra Leone announced it would make a one-off payment of US$5,000 to the family of any healthcare worker who dies as a result of fighting the epidemic.

Meanwhile, officials in Morocco confirm that the country is backing out of its commitment to host the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament because of its fears over the Ebola outbreak.