DEKALB COUNTY, Ga — With yet another U.S Ebola patient on her way for treatment at Emory University Hospital, West Africans who live in DeKalb County worry about their families back home.
Mina Bestman was born in Liberia. She's run a Stone Mountain restaurant for 20 years, but still has family in Liberia. Bestman tells Channel 2's Diana Davis she's scared for them.
“I’m very afraid for my people. I have (a) sister, brother, my dad. Everybody is still there and they can't go anywhere at all. They are quarantined in the house and they're very scared,” she said.
Bestman’s last visit to Liberia was two years ago. Though there was no Ebola virus outbreak then, she told Davis the living conditions were deplorable.
She also said she knew then it was only a matter of time before there was a pandemic like the current Ebola outbreak.
“It was just sad. It was sickening,” she said.
Many West Africans have settled in parts of DeKalb County including Clarkston. Mayor Ted Terry, who's also on the DeKalb County Board of Health, helped organize an information session Tuesday night to calm fears and educate the public.
“We wanted to make sure everyone in the county had all the information that we were prepared with knowledge 'cause that really is the best defense were gonna have against any public health outbreak,” Terry told Davis.
Back at the restaurant, both the owner and some customers say they now get strange looks whenever they tell someone they're from Liberia. Even though they haven’t been there in years.
“Some people say, ‘No, don’t talk to Channel 2 because people will be afraid to come to your restaurant if they know you are from Liberia. But, it is what it is,” Bestman said.
Both people Davis talked to at the restaurant told her they have had friends and/or family members die from Ebola.
“Our friend Jerry had passed away from Ebola. So it got me so shaken and I never knew what to do, but I pray for the best for Liberia. That's all that came to my mind--that everything goes well,” C-needle Nehwon, an Atlanta musician said.
WSBTV
