SERRIA LEONE ON LOCK DOWN OVER EBOLA OUTBREAK

The authorities in Sierra Leone are enforcing a three-day lockdown in order to curb the spread of Ebola, with the entire population ordered to stay at home

There is a two-hour exemption on Friday to allow Muslim prayers and a five-hour window for Christians on Sunday. Volunteers are going door-to-door, looking for people with signs of the disease and reminding others how to stay safe. Dozens of new cases are still being reported in Sierra Leone every week.

However, the three West African countries worst affected by Ebola – Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea – have seen a steep reduction in infections in recent weeks. Journalist Umaru Fofana in Freetown says the normally bustling streets in the east end of the capital Freetown was deserted first thing in the morning, except for a few children fetching water in jerry cans.

This lockdown comes amidst some rare good news. According to official figures from the World Health Organization, there were just 33 new confirmed cases last week – the lowest number since June 2014. But with these falling figures there is danger of growing complacency, the government says.This is one of the main reasons behind the lockdown – volunteers will remind people how to protect themselves against a virus that is still a real threat.