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| Sierra Leone declares Ebola lockdown | Sierra Leone declares Ebola lockdown |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Sierra Leone - one of the countries worst hit by West Africa's Ebola outbreak - has announced a three-day lockdown to try to tackle the disease. | Sierra Leone - one of the countries worst hit by West Africa's Ebola outbreak - has announced a three-day lockdown to try to tackle the disease. |
| From 19 to 21 September people will not be allowed to leave their homes, a senior official said. | From 19 to 21 September people will not be allowed to leave their homes, a senior official said. |
| The aim of the move is to allow health workers to isolate new cases to prevent the disease from spreading further. | The aim of the move is to allow health workers to isolate new cases to prevent the disease from spreading further. |
| The outbreak has killed about 2,100 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria in recent months. | The outbreak has killed about 2,100 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria in recent months. |
| The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that health workers could be given vaccines as from November, when safety tests are completed. | The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that health workers could be given vaccines as from November, when safety tests are completed. |
| More than 20 health workers have lost their lives to the virus in Sierra Leone since the start of the outbreak in March. | More than 20 health workers have lost their lives to the virus in Sierra Leone since the start of the outbreak in March. |
| Rights issue | Rights issue |
| Sierra Leone officials said more than 20,000 people would be deployed to make sure residents stayed indoors. | Sierra Leone officials said more than 20,000 people would be deployed to make sure residents stayed indoors. |
| Sidie Yahya Tunis, the health ministry's communications director, told the BBC: "We don't expect them to refuse. You follow or else you'll be breaking the law. If you disobey then you are disobeying the president." | Sidie Yahya Tunis, the health ministry's communications director, told the BBC: "We don't expect them to refuse. You follow or else you'll be breaking the law. If you disobey then you are disobeying the president." |
| Ebola virus disease (EVD) | Ebola virus disease (EVD) |
| The BBC's West Africa correspondent, Thomas Fessy in Senegal, says the Sierra Leone population's willingness to obey will be key for the plan to succeed - a forcible implementation is likely to raise human rights issues and could potentially spark violent demonstrations. | The BBC's West Africa correspondent, Thomas Fessy in Senegal, says the Sierra Leone population's willingness to obey will be key for the plan to succeed - a forcible implementation is likely to raise human rights issues and could potentially spark violent demonstrations. |
| Last month, Liberia sealed off a large slum in the capital, Monrovia, for more than a week in an attempt to contain the virus. | Last month, Liberia sealed off a large slum in the capital, Monrovia, for more than a week in an attempt to contain the virus. |
| The disease infects humans through close contact with infected animals, including chimpanzees, fruit bats and forest antelope. | The disease infects humans through close contact with infected animals, including chimpanzees, fruit bats and forest antelope. |
| It then spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments. | It then spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments. |
| Officials in Nigeria have meanwhile decided to reopen schools in the country from 22 September. They were closed as a precaution to prevent the spread of the virus. | Officials in Nigeria have meanwhile decided to reopen schools in the country from 22 September. They were closed as a precaution to prevent the spread of the virus. |
| Separately, a US doctor infected with Ebola is being treated in a Nebraska hospital after evacuation from Liberia. | Separately, a US doctor infected with Ebola is being treated in a Nebraska hospital after evacuation from Liberia. |
| Rick Sacra, 51, was described as sick but stable. He is the third American aid worker infected. The other two recovered after treatment in Atlanta. | Rick Sacra, 51, was described as sick but stable. He is the third American aid worker infected. The other two recovered after treatment in Atlanta. |
| On Friday, the WHO announced that the blood of patients who recovered from Ebola should be used to treat others. | On Friday, the WHO announced that the blood of patients who recovered from Ebola should be used to treat others. |
| People produce antibodies in the blood in an attempt to fight off an Ebola infection. The antibodies may be able to help a sick patient's immune system if they are transferred. | People produce antibodies in the blood in an attempt to fight off an Ebola infection. The antibodies may be able to help a sick patient's immune system if they are transferred. |
| However, large scale data on the effectiveness of the therapy is lacking. | However, large scale data on the effectiveness of the therapy is lacking. |