HIGHLIGHTS
In the week to 12 July 2015, there were 14 confirmed Ebola cases, up from nine cases the previous week. Of the 10 cases reported in Western Area Urban district, nine came from ward 374 in the Magazine Wharf area of Freetown and one from Hagan street (the only two wards reporting cases out of 48 wards in the district). Three cases reported from Kambia district came from two (Samu and Tonkolimba) out of seven chiefdoms. One case was reported from Marampa chiefdom in Port Loko, a district with 11 chiefdoms.
UNICEF-led social mobilization teams reached 6,741 people through community meetings in 513 communities in Port Loko and Kambia districts. In Port Loko, social mobilizers reached out to schools and sensitized 12,527 students on key Ebola preventive behaviours. 740 traditional leaders, including paramount and section chiefs and 264 traditional healers, were engaged as part of intensified social mobilization for Operation Northern Push.
In Western Area Urban district, Ward councillors and 27 key community and traditional leaders engaged 4,449 people within quarantined households and neighboring communities with the aim of promoting community ownership and cooperation in identification of sick people and those missing from Voluntary Quarantine Facilities.
During the reporting week, UNICEF provided District Education Offices in Port Loko and Kambia with one vehicle each, four motorcycles for Port Loko and three for Kambia to support supervision and monitoring of education activities in the hotspot districts.
Last week, UNICEF supported the delivery of 171,000 litres of water to 1,131 people in 263 quarantined households in Kambia and Port Loko districts. UNICEF distributed 97 Family Tracing and Reunification kits, 200 mattresses and 50 pillows among the quarantined households in Kambia district
UNICEF Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) is appealing for USD 178 million for Sierra Leone to support the needs of children and communities affected by the Ebola crisis until the end of July 2015.
Currently, UNICEF is revising its HAC appeal in order to establish the needs until the end of 2015. As of 12 July, USD 121.6 million (68.3% of the total funding needs) has been received.