Highlights
As of 26 November 2014, according to the Government of Sierra Leone, the cumulative number of laboratory confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases is 5,595. The number of confirmed deaths is 1,429 and 956 have been discharged from treatment (survivors). The government estimates that around 22 percent of cases are children and youth (0-17 years).
To date, the UNICEF-led Family Tracing and Reunification (FTR) network has identified 7,050 children as being directly affected by the Ebola crisis (3,559 girls and 3,491 boys), including 2,753 children having lost one or both parents to EVD. This is an increase of 2,676 affected children from the previous reporting period.**
UNICEF is delighted to report that our colleague who has been receiving EVD treatment at a hospital in France has made a full recovery and is now back in Sierra Leone.
The ten UNICEF supported community care centres (CCCs) operating in Bombali have received 66 suspected cases (including ten children), of which 38 were admitted, 26 have been referred to an Ebola holding or treatment centre and 23 were discharged, with one death reported. 11 people are still receiving care, including three children who are awaiting discharge.
The UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) organised a cross border Child Protection conference in Sierra Leone on 20 and 21 November 2014. Participants included government, NGO and UNICEF staff from the three most affected Ebola countries - Guinea Liberia and Sierra Leone. - UNMEER has scaled up its presence in the field by deploying Field Crisis Managers to each district to assist in coordination of the international response at the local level.
UNICEF Sierra Leone is 92 percent funded against the six month humanitarian action for children (HAC) appeal of US$61 million issued on 16 September 2014. However, given the unprecedented scale of the crisis and increasing needs in the country, the current funding appeal is under revision.
