Ebola Burial Team Attacked In Sierra Leone

A team of health workers trying to bury Ebola victims has come under
attack in Sierra Leone, as the country struggled through the second
day of a nationwide curfew to help combat the virus.

Police were called on Saturday to help the team in the village of
Matainkay, 20km east of the capital Freetown. A witness told state
television that the burial team initially had to abandon five bodies
and flee.

A local police commander told the Reuters news agency that "some
youths attempted to disrupt the burial".

Since the curfew came into effect on Friday, most of Sierra Leone's
six million people have been confined to their homes. Only essential
workers, such as health professionals and security forces, are exempt.

However critics say that the measures could cause people to go to
extra lengths to conceal those infected.

The charity group Doctors Without Borders said it would be "extremely
difficult for health workers to accurately identify cases through
door-to-door screening".

The group said that Sierra Leone did not have enough beds even if
suspected cases were identified during the curfew.

Neighbouring Liberia had temporary placed quarantine measures and
curfews last month, but lifted them after street protests.

The World Health Organisation says the virus has killed more than 560
people in Sierra Leone and more than 2,600 in West Africa since the
outbreak began in December.