Sierra Leone lifts quarantine as Ebola victory nears

Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Koroma on Friday, removed Ebola quarantine measures in six districts intended to curb the spread of the disease, declaring “victory is in sight”. Reports say there are indications that there is a sharp drop in transmission. He said since the worst outbreak on record began in West Africa over a year […]

Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Koroma on Friday, removed Ebola quarantine measures in six districts intended to curb the spread of the disease, declaring “victory is in sight”.

Reports say there are indications that there is a sharp drop in transmission.

He said since the worst outbreak on record began in West Africa over a year ago, Sierra Leone has recorded more than 10,340 cases.

Koroma said this has made the country that has been hardest hit, but that signs are growing that the tide is turning against the disease.

“We are now entering a transition phase, given the progress being made against the disease, we must take action to enable economic and social recovery,” he said.

Koroma said he aimed to get to zero cases by the end of March, added that restrictions on trading hours in Freetown would also be eased.

“Individual households with known Ebola contacts will remain under quarantine, even though victory is in sight, we must not relent, we must continue to soldier on,” he said.

He urged people to refrain from touching the sick and the dead, because Ebola spreads via contact with bodily fluids of infected people such as blood and vomit.

Health officials say that in the latest health report on Jan. 21, Sierra Leone reported just 9 new confirmed cases versus 60 cases daily in late 2014.