'Ebola eats at my soul every day': Stories of survival from Sierra Leone

Mariatu lives in Port Loko, a once-bustling mining district in northern Sierra Leone where Ebola is currently spreading like a wildfire

See also: Eyewitness to Hell: Life in Ebola-Ravaged Liberia

The deadly virus has changed everything here. Fear and anxiety are palpable. Movement is restricted and high-risk areas quarantined. Schools are shut, health clinics are paralyzed, businesses have collapsed and the street-side fruit and vegetable stands where most villagers buy food are disappearing.



Those who become infected face grim choices, as there is no dedicated Ebola treatment center in the area. Many stay home to be looked after by family members, all too often spreading the virus to loved ones. Others are taken to makeshift Ebola wards at overwhelmed hospitals and holding centers without trained staff, supplies or proper safety protocols. Read more...

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