West Africans in New Jersey address Ebola threat

Considering themselves the first line of defense, New Jersey's West African communities are taking special precautions to prevent the deadly Ebola virus from coming to the Garden State.

According to the most recent census, New Jersey is home to the fifth-most West African immigrants in any U.S. state, with scattered pockets of residents from Liberia, Sierra Leone, or Guinea.

In addition to raising material funds to help fight the disease overseas, groups are taking proactive steps at home.

While many international flights from western Africa have been halted, Emmett Trinity, president of the Liberian Community Association of North Jersey, said he is asking anyone coming back to quarantine themselves "for 21 days, because that's when the symptoms go into effect."

The precautions don't end there. Trinity said he avoids shaking hands or hugging anyone who's recently traveled back to the homeland until it is certain they aren't sick.

Trinity emphasized the importance of educating the community about both the disease and general safety practices.

"Hand sanitization for residents, and encourage the African restaurants to have hand sanitizing available when (customers) come in," he said. "It's all about medical care."

A Liberian man hospitalized in Texas has now died from the disease. Thomas Eric Duncan was the United States' first diagnosed Ebola case in this outbreak.

The Garden State has managed to avoid any cases of the virus, but had a close call when a Liberian traveler was reported sick on an international flight. He was met in Newark by officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it was declared neither the man nor other passengers tested positive for Ebola.

The recent events have turned a negative spotlight toward Liberia, Trinity said, and it's a perception he hopes to change.

"Liberians are not trying to intentionally harm people, so this is one of the reasons why we have to ensure that Liberians that travel abroad -- or their family and friends -- have the knowledge that once they arrive home, they have to go through self-quarantine," he said.

As part of its "Stop Ebola" campaign, the Liberian Community Association of North Jersey is holding a medical supply drive next weekend. Those supplies will be sent overseas to help quell the epidemic. Donations are being accepted as well.