Ebola back in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has announced the return of Ebola to its capital Freetown, dashing hopes that health authorities in the densely-populated city of 1.2 million had beaten the deadly outbreak.

The county’s National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) told AFP on Tuesday that three cases had emerged in the east-end slum of Magazine Wharf, three weeks after the last known infections in the capital.

Authorities are concerned that the case could lead to a mini-outbreak in the over-crowded fishing community, which has poor sanitation and is regularly hit by outbreaks of malaria and cholera.

Liberia was declared Ebola-free in May 2015.

However, hopes that the neighbouring Sierra Leone and Guinea would quickly follow suit was dashed recently with the weekly toll of infections in the two countries hovering around 25.

 The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned earlier this month that the retreat of the virus “that was apparent throughout April and early May, has stalled”.

Ebola is spread only through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person showing symptoms such as fever or vomiting.

Authorities have blamed the failure of Sierra Leone and Guinea to eradicate the virus on people hiding deaths in the family and carrying out unsafe burials that are aiding Ebola’s spread.

NERC chief executive Palo Conteh said he had received reports of expert disposal teams demanding money from bereaved families for burials and promised a “full inquiry” to bring the practice to a stop.

The country has extended until September a nationwide state of emergency which restricts public gatherings and other activities that could spread the virus.

daily independent