Ukraine in Arabic | Sierra Leone to begin a lockdown due to the Ebola virus
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ The WHO warned on Thursday there were no signs yet of the outbreak slowing. In this regard, Sierra Leone has begun a three-day nationwide lockdown as it confronts a worsening Ebola outbreak.
Practically the entire 6 million population has been ordered to stay home while medical teams go door-to-door to screen for the virus.
Ahead of the shutdown, people were busy stocking up on essential supplies.
Freetown resident Matilda Kamara said: "I have come to buy medication, food stuffs and all necessary things even water at home, so that me and my family will not go through these constraints because within the three days you will not have the opportunity to go out and do your shopping."
Another local resident Mahawa Allieu said: "It is better to stay at home for three days, even 21 days, than to lose thousands of people in a single day, so to me I think is very important, it is necessary and it is called for."
In Liberia, which is also seeing a rise in cases, a French nurse who contracted Ebola is still waiting evacuation to Paris.
Doctors Without Borders have criticized the delays in returning her home after she was hospitalized on Tuesday.
In southeastern Guinea, eight bodies have been found after an attack on a team educating locals on the virus.
The worst Ebola outbreak since the disease was identified in 1976 has struck Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal.
Meanwhile, Liberia calls for other countries to follow the US lead in combatting Ebola. A French nurse has contracted Ebola in Liberia. She is the first French national and international staff member from medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres to come down with the disease.
She has been quarantined and will be evacuated to France in a special medical plane.
Meanwhile, the government in Liberia is calling on other countries to follow the US’s lead, after President Obama pledged to send 3,000 troops to West Africa build 17 treatment centers in Liberia and train thousands of health care workers.
Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said: “We hope this decision by the United States will spur the rest of the international community into action. Our American partners realize Liberia cannot defeat Ebola alone. The entire community of nations has a stake in ending this crisis.”
In neighboring Ivory Coast, which has so far avoided any Ebola cases, education campaigns are underway to fend off the disease.
Washing stations with bleach solution have appeared outside buildings and even the traditional greeting of three kisses on the cheeks has been abandoned.
The outbreak has killed nearly 2,500 people. Around half of those infected have been in Liberia. Other cases have been reported in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal.
euronews.com
