Ebola in Sierra Leone

An outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) was initially identified in Guinea in March and has spread to Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. EVD is a severe, often fatal illness. The outbreak was declared by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) on 26th May 2014. On 8th August, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa a global health emergency. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unprecedented in scale and in the response required. No previous outbreak has had as many confirmed cases, as wide of a geographic spread, or major hot spots in urban areas. As of October 31st, the cumulative number of laboratory confirmed EVD cases is 3,843 (including 208 in Tonkolili District). The number of confirmed (recorded) EVD deaths is 1,064 with 811 survivors. The epidemiological curve has a steep incline, indicating accelerated and intense transmission.