Sierra Leone's Vice-President Goes To 21 Days Self-Quarantined After Security Personnel Dies Of Ebola

According to a report on the Associated Press, The Vice-President of Sierra Leone, Samuel Sam-Suman has voluntarily placed himself under a 3-week quarantine after one of his security personnel died from the Ebola Virus. Mr Sam-Sumana said that he had chosen to be quarantined to "lead by example" after the death of his bodyguard, John Koroma, last week. He told Reuters news agency that he was "very well" and showing no signs of the illness, but said he did not want to "take chances". His staff have also been placed under observation.

It is reported that Sierra Leone recorded 18 new cases of Ebola last week, up from 16 the week before. In a statement released to the press the Vice President stated that;

“This virus has affected thousands of our people and has nearly brought our country to its knees. We all have a collective responsibility to break the chains of transmission by isolating the sick and reporting all known contacts, by not touching the dead … We cannot be complacent. We must work together as a nation to end Ebola now.”

President Ernest Bai Koroma will attend a European Union conference on Ebola in Belgium. In the presidents’ absence, Vice President Sam-Sumana will become acting president, carrying out his duties from home. He is the country's first senior government figure to subject himself to a voluntary quarantine.

Sources: BBC Africa / AP / Reuters