26 August 2014 - It is with great sorrow that Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) confirms that three of our colleagues, a Guinean outreach worker and a Liberian nurse and a Sierra Leonean nurse, have passed away.

On 19 August, our Guinean colleague was admitted to one of MSF’s Ebola management centres in Guinea. He received medical care there, but sadly passed away the following day. His funeral took place on 21 August in the presence of his family and the MSF team. Our colleague was working in MSF’s outreach team. His work included hygiene activities and responding to alerts of suspected cases in the community, and he did not have any duties inside the Ebola management centre itself.

Our Liberian colleague, who was a Ministry of Health nurse working alongside MSF, was admitted to one of MSF’s Ebola management centres in Liberia on 19 August. MSF’s doctors did their utmost to provide the best possible medical care, but tragically he passed away on 23 August. Arrangements are currently being made for his funeral.

Our Sierra Leonean colleague was a nurse working with one of the MSF teams in Sierra Leone. He was admitted to an MSF Ebola management centre on 24th August where the MSF medical team did all they could to provide the best medical care possible. He passed away on 25th  August, to the great sadness of the team. Arrangements are currently being made for his funeral.

A thorough investigation is underway to determine how the staff members became ill. At this point, there is no indication that the illness was acquired in the context of their professional activities.

We offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of our colleagues, who we will support through this difficult time.