Sierra Leone News

As of 2 September 2012, the cumulative number of cases and deaths reported by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation were 15,564 and 249 deaths respectively. Twelve (12) of the 13 districts in the country are now affected. On 2 September 2012, Western Area continued to report the highest number of cases (187), followed by Bombali (16), Tonkolili (12) and Kenema (11). No death was reported from all the districts. It is noted that case management has improved in most districts.

President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has declared a national “humanitarian emergency” over the cholera outbreak that has resulted in 10, 734 reported cases and 181 deaths in 8 of the 13 affected districts by August 15, 2012.

Cholera situation in Sierra Leone - 16 August 2012

Freetown, Sierra Leone – 31 August 2015: Detection of a new case of Ebola virus disease in Kambia, Sierra Leone after the country had marked almost three weeks of zero cases has set in motion the first ‘ring vaccination’ use of the experimental Ebola vaccine in Sierra Leone.

The last batch of Ebola responders from the Cuban Medical Brigade will depart Sierra Leone on 1 April 2015, following a farewell ceremony with local dignitaries on Monday, 30 March in Freetown. The first contingent of 98 Cuban health workers departed Sierra Leone on Sunday 22 March after nearly 6 months supporting the Ebola outbreak response in the country.

Epidemiological data

WHO is helping Sierra Leone to mobilize all its experience and partners to ensure that any new cases of Ebola are investigated and transmission of the disease stopped as rapidly as possible. Sad news that a 16-year old girl had died from Ebola in Bombali district, a part of the country that had a large outbreak 6 months ago, sparked an immediate inter-agency rapid response. Partners sent people with the skills and equipment needed to stop further infection in Bombali.

In Sierra Leone, the Ebola outbreak has affected all aspects of health care. Exact numbers are yet to be confirmed but it is clear that many children have missed out on routine vaccination services during the outbreak. To counter this, mass immunization campaigns are being held nationwide

Freetown, 14 October 2015 - Preliminary results of a study into persistence of Ebola virus in body fluids show that some men still produce semen samples that test positive for Ebola virus nine months after onset of symptoms.

The report, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, provides the first results of a long-term study being jointly conducted by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone Ministry of Defence, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tuesday was a happy day in SierraLeone as children returned to school after many months away due to the Ebola outbreak. Read how the Government of Sierra Leone, WHO and partners made that possible

FIFA in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Football Association, United Nations agencies (WHO and UNICEF) on 1 November launched the ‘FIFA 11 for Health’ programme in Freetown aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles among young people. The programme was launched by a delegation of FIFA officials led by the football legend Samuel Eto’o Fils.