Sierra Leone to Lock Down 2.5 Million People to Stem Ebola Epidemic

The outbreak has claimed more than 3,500 lives in the poverty-stricken west African nation, one of three countries that have been the worst hit by this crisis.

Sierra Leone will confine around 2.5 million people to their homes across the capital and in the north in a three-day shutdown aimed at stemming the deadly Ebola epidemic.

The worst-ever outbreak of the virus has claimed almost 3,700 lives in the impoverished west African nation, one of three countries that have seen their economies wrecked and healthcare systems obliterated in the crisis.

'Tremendous Progress' Made in the Battle Against Ebola
The UN said that the pattern of virus has changed, with a significant decline in the number of new cases in the three affected countries.

"The lockdown will be conducted from March 27 to March 29 and will be like the one we conducted in September last year," said Palo Conteh, head of the country’s National Ebola Response Centre.

"The government and partners are hopeful that latent cases that are now not being reported or recorded will come out."

The action, which follows a nationwide lockdown in September, was announced after the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday that the death toll from Ebola since December 2013 stood at almost 10,200.

British Ebola Patient Flown Back Home from Sierra Leone
A British royal jet was sent to Sierra Leone to fly the voluntary healthcare worker, who tested positive for Ebola, back to the country

Source-AFP

Specially Designed Isolation Suit for Patients Infected With Ebola
The suit is designed to let fresh air in and has a tube through which patients can be fed; it's also connected to a bag that collects the patient's vomit.

American Healthcare Workers Leave Sierra Leone Over Ebola Fears
A group of 10 American healthcare workers who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone are being flown back to United States for monitoring, CDC officials said.