Sierra Leone records first Ebola-free district

monjola sotubo

January 13, 2015 12:47 PM

Pujehun, in the south-east of the country, has been declared Ebola-free after going 42 days without a single case of the disease

Optimism has arisen in the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone as the country has recorded its first Ebola-free district.

Pujehun, in the south-east of the country, has been declared Ebola-free after going 42 days without recording a case of the disease.

The district confirmed its first case of the disease in August and recorded 31 cases and 24 deaths. No new cases have been confirmed since November 26.

The district managed to achieve the feat due to an early decision to ban public gatherings despite local opposition, District Council Chairman, Sadiq Silla explained.

“My house was physically attacked and I have to thank the police who protected me from the mobs,” Silla said.

“We must treat this milestone with caution as well as hope. We have a long way to go to even start turning the tide on Ebola in Sierra Leone,”Nik Hartley, head of charity, Restless Development also said.

Sierra Leone is currently the country with the highest number of Ebola cases accounting for 7,718 of the total figure as at January 9.

monjola sotubo