African migrants in Spain fear possible backlash in Ebola crisis

Ebola Outbreak

The spread of Ebola in Spain has raised fears of a possible backlash against African migrants. Hundreds of thousands of Africans live in Spain, many from West Africa. Some living in Madrid are worried about being targeted. CCTV America’s Roee Ruttenberg reports.

At a nongovernmental organization in central Madrid, African migrants who are in need can receive rice, milk, and clothes. The organization’s Director says Spain’s Ebola scare has not led to a backlash against Africans here.

“The Spanish population knows that with immigrants here, there’s as big gap in time and distance from the situation in those three countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea,” he said.

Spain is one of the entry points for Africans coming to Europe, and as a minority, they are often more vulnerable to acts of discrimination. Black rights activist Yast Solo says the real consequence of Ebola in Spain may be political.

“It’s already been used to stop immigration, this is the first step,” Solo said.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that the number of new Ebola cases per week could reach upwards of 10,000 by mid-December. Here’s how the number of new cases has grown over time. (“New Cases” are the number of newly confirmed, probable, and suspect cases of Ebola since the previous WHO situation report. These reports are not always released at standard time intervals, so the number of days between releases often differs.)