Ebola an haemorrhagic fever that kills most of the people it infects, it is not highly contagious, but can spread easily in crowds where people are exposed to each other's bodily fluids.
A cough might not do it. But a sneeze in the face, contact with infected blood or sweat, or a handshake with someone caring for an ailing, incontinent relative easily could.The death toll from an Ebola outbreak that began at the start of the year stands at 1,145 in four afflicted west African countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.
Kailahun, a poor but resourceful trading post like any other in Sierra Leone until a few short months ago, has found itself at the epicentre of the worst-ever outbreak of the feared Ebola virus.
No one gets in and no one leaves the eastern districts of Kailahun and neighboring Kenema without special government dispensation, as part of an emergency quarantine.round 30,000 mainly Mende tribes people, and Kenema account for the lion's share of Sierra Leone's 810 cases and 384 deaths.
Getting there from the capital Freetown involves a drive of seven to 10 hours, depending on the weather and the mood of the police and soldiers at nine checkpoints.
Here the security is suddenly less are very strict.
Police bark questions at each traveler, demanding proof of accreditation to go further. At three of the posts, people are made to wash their hands in chlorine and have their temperatures taken.
Patients brought to the center leave with certificates confirming their recovery, or in heavily disinfected body bags.
There have been survivors -- 52 of them so far, from some 200 confirmed cases -- who are psychologically debriefed and carefully placed back into their communities.
Here, there is little joy, nor reason to laugh -- only death and suffering.
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