Sierra Leone's Ebola lock-down not helpful, MSF
Freetown, 7 Sep - (ANA) - A three-day lockdown announced by Sierra Leone to combat Ebola will not help contain the virus, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says. The charity said a lockdown would force people underground, destroy trust between doctors and the public and ultimately help spread the disease.
Sierra Leone officials say the measure, due to begin on 19 September, will let health workers isolate new cases. About 2,100 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea have so far died. MSF, whose staff are helping to tackle the outbreak, said in a statement that quarantines and lockdowns "end up driving people underground and jeopardising the trust between people and health providers". "This leads to the concealment of potential cases and ends up spreading the disease further," the group said.
Ebola casualties up to 5 September 2,105

Ebola deaths - probable, confirmed and suspected

    1,089 Liberia

    517 Guinea

    491 Sierra Leone

    8 Nigeria
 

FA/ANA/7 September 2014----------