FREETOWN, Sept 18 (AFP): Sierra Leone prepared Thursday for an unprecedented three-day nationwide lockdown to contain the deadly spread of the Ebola virus in a controversial move which experts claimed could worsen the epidemic.
The population of six million will be confined to their homes from midnight (0000 GMT) going into Friday as almost 30,000 volunteers go door-to-door uncovering patients and bodies hidden in people's homes.
"Rain or shine, the shutdown exercise is going to go ahead. During the three days... the job is going to get done," said Steven Gaojia, head of the government's emergency operation centre.
The worst-ever outbreak of Ebola has claimed more than 500 lives in Sierra Leone, one of three countries at the epicentre of the epidemic which has so far killed almost 2,500.
"Ose to Ose Ebola Tok"-"house-to-house Ebola talk" in the widely-spoken Krio language-will see more than 7,000 volunteer teams of four visiting the country's 1.5 million homes.
Sierra Leone readies for controversial Ebola lockdown
FE Team | Published: September 19, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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