Sierra Leone declares state of emergency to cope with Ebola virus

To deal with the continued spread of the Ebola virus, the government of Sierra Leone has declared a state of emergency and called up its security forces to enforce quarantines on the areas where the disease has already been found.

The Washington Post reports that the state of emergency involves sealing off towns and homes where the disease has been found, restrictions on public gatherings, surveillance and active investigations into suspected cases of Ebola.

There will also be more intensive screening procedures for the disease at airports and border crossings around the country.

The President of Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma has cancelled a planned trip to the United States. In that trip's stead, he has called for a summit of regional leaders and the World Health Organization to discuss ways to coordinate and help beat back the deadly epidemic.

Thus far, 672 people have died from the disease, according to the Post.

Sierra Leone's announcement comes on the heels of similar measures taken by the government of Liberia. Liberia has announced the closure of all the schools in the country and will also enforce a strict regime of quarantine like in Sierra Leone. Liberia will also restrict public gatherings while closing all but three of its land border crossings.

U.S. Peace Corps is withdrawing all of its 340 volunteers in the afflicted nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea after two volunteers fell ill with the disease.

Al Jazeera reports that the WHO has established a special fund to help combat the disease in those nations. The fund will have $100 million to help bolster the defense of the impoverished nations. Many of them lack the medical and communications infrastructure needed to help track and treat the disease adequately, only compounding the problem.