Ebola Outbreak: Sierra Leone Vice President Quarantined

The vice-president of Sierra Leone has put himself into quarantine after one of his bodyguards died from Ebola. Samuel Sam-Sumana said he would stay out of contact with others for 21 days as a precaution.

There was optimism the virus was on the decline in Sierra Leone at the end of last year but there has been a recent increase in confirmed cases. Nearly 10,000 people have died in the outbreak, the vast majority in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Mr Sam-Sumana said on Saturday 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.

He is the country’s first senior government figure to subject himself to a voluntary quarantine.