The battle against Ebola will be fought and won in the Western Area. This sounds like a headline. Port Loko is still highly “active” but, with more isolation and treatment beds and better surveillance, the situation will improve there soon.

In and around Freetown (Western Area), with its crowded communities stretching out on both sides of the peninsula, the outbreak is increasing, as shown in the graph below. Ebola has been seen before in larger communities, but not in such a dense urban area. It is daunting. From December 14-31, there will be a “surge” of effort to find people  who are sick with Ebola-like symptoms and to promptly isolate and treat them. This will involve an increase in the number of beds available – for example, MSF Spain, MSF Switzerland, Emergency, MedAir and the Ministry of Health will all be opening new holding centres and treatment centres before the end of the year.There will also be four CCC-like units created in the sites that we scouted out last week. Until I leave in 11 days, I will be in charge of the WHO response in the Western Area. On top of this, there is now a new outbreak in Kono, at the far eastern end of the country.

I understand that there is a fairly harmonious relationship between religions in SL, to the extent, for example, that, where, at the opening of a meeting, the Moslem representative is not there, the Christian representative will say both sets of prayers. Despite the mix of 50% Christian, 50% Moslem, there is little evidence of the approach of the Christmas season, unlike the images of holiday preparation, trees and lights, I see in news from Canada. Early one morning, I did see one flashing star and, on my walk to seek espresso this morning, I heard an African version of the 12 days of Christmas. The Radisson Hotel has a (fake) Christmas tree, but that does not really count! Of course, the climate and relative equal length of day and night emphasize the distance from northern climes, where days are becoming shorter and colder. It is constantly between 25 and 30 degrees, with a humidity of around 80%. The rains seem to be almost over and then it will become even hotter.

I heard on a car radio the other day the kind of African beat and rhythm that Lois and I remember from our time in Zambia. On being asked how he would describe this type of music, the driver responded, “60’s”. He said that his generation refer to it as music for the “old man set”! I smiled….music obviously does evolve. For an alternative to the “Band Aid” Ebola appeal tune, listen to the song by Steady Bongo who is a Sierra Leonean institution.

I have been in touch with a few journalists here. This is a piece by a Canadian, now based in DC.

On the interesting people file, I recently chatted with someone from UK AID with whom I have been working regularly here. I discovered that he was in Zambia in the 1990’s, where, with his partner, he cycled (and canoed) the route of Livingstone’s last journey. This would have included the Bangweulu swamps, which Lois and I both know. The book of the trek is still available. He is now based in Dhaka and plans to cycle around Bangladesh, having constructed a rickshaw for his children attached to two bikes up front for himself and his partner!