Escape of Ebola Patients Raises Alert in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leonine health authorities have launched a nationwide alert to prevent a serious spread of Ebola following the escape of a 32-year-old woman and eight-year-old girl for several hours from a treatment centre on the outskirts of Freetown on Saturday.The pair, who absconded together, were later tracked down at an undisclosed location and returned to the clinic after radio appeals to the public.
A spokesperson of the country’s National Ebola Response Centre confirmed the development.
“Our contact tracers and surveillance officers are meanwhile tracking the level of contacts the two would have made during the period of their escape,” he spokesman said.
The worst Ebola outbreak in history has seen 27,600 infections in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, of which 11,253 have been fatal, according to official data largely deemed to be an underestimate.
Sierra Leone has seen almost half of the total caseload, reporting 3,941 deaths as of July 8, and is currently treating 10 patients.
The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier reported that a retreat of the Ebolan virus “that was apparent throughout April and early May had stalled” in Sierra Leone.
Last month, President Ernest Bai Koroma imposed curfews in the worst-hit parts of the northwestern districts of Kambia and Port Loko.
They were the only two areas at the time still reporting new infections, although the capital Freetown has since seen its own flare-up.
The curfews had been due to end earlier this month but have been extended indefinitely.