Sierra Leone News

Cholera situation in Sierra Leone - 3 September, 2012

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.

Cuban Ebola responders depart 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.

Rapid response to new Ebola infection in Bombali, Sierra Leone

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.

Preliminary study finds that Ebola virus fragments can persist in the semen of some ...

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.