Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone: Ebola Emergency Weekly Situation Report No. 16, 2 – 8 February 2015

Highlights

• As of 8 February 2015, the cumulative number of laboratory confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases is 8,135. The number of confirmed deaths is 2,975. Total survived and discharged cases is 2,203.
• On 3 February, President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone paid a surprise visit to the National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) Situation Room where he was briefed on response efforts by government officials, UNMEER and UN agencies. The President expressed appreciation for the efforts of the NERC and added that easing of restrictions of movement should not be seen as a sign that the fight against Ebola is over. He underscored the continued need for response efforts as problems with people washing corpses still continue. The President highlighted the support required to the health sector and with Ebola transmission declining, encouraged the excess NERC capacity towards strengthening the health sector.
• In close coordination with UNOPS, UNMEER provides a broad range of assistance to those responding to the Ebola crisis, including contracts, remuneration, transportation and accommodation in Sierra Leone.
• UNICEF has developed a network of Ebola survivors who play an important role in supporting affected children. Survivors volunteer to interact with children who are under observation, providing them with the physical interaction “contacts” would not normally receive. This also reduces stigma often attached to survivors.
• The Government has announced that it will reopen the country's schools (more than 8,000 schools) on 30 March, after a seven-month shutdown to limit the spread of the Ebola virus. The shutdown caused by the Ebola crisis has left 1.8 million children out of school. With UNICEF support, preparation is underway for the decommissioning of 11 Community Care Centers (CCCs) that are situated in or within 200m of school compounds. A total of 16,200 hand washing facilities have been ordered for the back-to-school initiative.
• Biometric re-verification of Ebola Response Workers (ERWs) concluded successfully in the Western Area and the Northern Province. In the Western Area, 6,047 ERWs on the NERC Payroll were re-verified; 1,106 new ERWs were verified; and 1,948 ERWs did not show up for re-verification. 1,797 ERWs paid for by nine other pay partners were also re-verified and registered in the national Hazard Payroll System.59 of these were caught receiving hazard pay from NERC and other paying partners and have been reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC is participating at all biometric re-verification sites to help curb corruption.