Ebola Prompts Missions Groups to Evacuate Liberia

Two North Carolina-based missionary groups are pulling non-essential staff out of Liberia in response to the Ebola crisis.

SIM USA and Samaritan's Purse run the only treatment center for Ebola in the West African nation.

Now, in response to a sharp increase in cases, the two ministries are pulling many of their people out.

The news comes after an American doctor from the Christian charity Samaritan's Purse contracted the virus.

Dr. Kent Brantly, who owns a private practice in Fort Worth, Texas, had been treating patients in Liberia when he came down with the virus.

"There are inherent dangers in working with the disease. Dr. Brantly is a victim of that right now," Ken Isaacs, with Samaritan's Purse, said.

"We are doing everything that we can to keep our staff safe, but the reality is it is a deadly disease and it is easily spread," Isaacs added.

Nancy Writebol, a Christian volunteer nurse working with Brantly, also tested positive for the virus.
 
SIM says none of its evacuees are showing symptoms of Ebola.
    
The virus has killed more than 670 people across West Africa this year, including a top doctor in Sierra Leone.