Sierra Leone decides to maintain curfew in Ebola hotspot areas

Sierra Leone's National Ebola Response Center (NERC) has confirmed to the media that "the Operation Northern Push will continue until we get to zero" in the country's Ebola hotspot areas.

Major Pallo Conteh, The CEO of the of the NERC, who was reacting to questions after his tour of the hotspots areas on Wednesday afternoon, said "the curfew hours imposed in the Port Loko and Kambia districts which ended Tuesday will remain the same in the two districts" but said there will be regular review to adapt to the response to meet the requirements of change.

He said that each of the hotspots will "get the required resources and guidance they need on the road to zero".

He told the media that he was encouraged by the management of the quarantine homes although there are a few logistic problems, noting that "food, medicine and supplies are delivered in time and the security forces manning the quarantine homes and check points are well equipped".

He said as a result "we have had no runaways and have managed to keep all new contacts in their quarantined homes".

He explained that the communities are beginning to understand that they can play an important role in monitoring and supporting the quarantine homes.

The latest number of Ebola cases have been fluctuating in the hotspots of Port Loko and Kambia districts as well as the Western Area. Endi