Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


       Liberian Police Fire Tear Gas to Disperse Ebola Quarantine Protest

   by VOA News

   Police in Liberia's capital have fired tear gas at protesters who were
   upset that the government placed a quarantine on their neighborhood to
   fight the spread of Ebola.

   Residents in Monrovia's West Point area shouted and threw stones at
   security forces after they surrounded the area on Wednesday.

   Some people complained they had received no warning of the
   newly-imposed quarantine and expressed concern that they would not be
   able to get food.

   Meant to save lives
   President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered the quarantine for the West
   Point neighborhood on Tuesday.  She also announced a quarantine on part
   of the coastal Margibu County region and imposed a nighttime curfew
   across Liberia.

   In an address late Tuesday she said the measures were "meant to save
   lives." She also said her government has been having difficulties
   controlling the spread of Ebola, because of "continued denials,
   cultural burying practices" and a "disregard" of advice from health
   care workers.

   Earlier this week, suspected Ebola patients fled from a West Point
   health center after it was attacked and looted by a mob. The government
   said Tuesday that it had accounted for all 37 of the patients who were
   at the center.

   Liberia has the highest death toll of the four West African nations
   affected by Ebola.

   ''In a Tuesday update, the [1]World Health Organization (WHO) said 466
   people in the country had died from Ebola and more than 800 others were
   confirmed or suspected of having the virus.

   President Sirleaf said her government has been having difficulties
   controlling the spread of Ebola, because of "continued denials,
   cultural burying practices" and a "disregard" of advice from health
   care workers.

   Some Liberians have continued to treat Ebola patients at home and
   conduct traditional burials despite warnings these practices can expose
   them to the Ebola virus.  The virus is transmitted through direct
   contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person.

   The outbreak in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria is the
   biggest Ebola epidemic to date.  The WHO said Tuesday that the overall
   death toll had risen to 1,229.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/liberia-imposes-quarantine-curfew-to-
   halt-ebola/2421942.html

References

   1. http://www.who.int/en/
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/liberia-imposes-quarantine-curfew-to-halt-ebola/2421942.html