Sierra Leone’s vice president in quarantine for Ebola

In this photo taken on Sept. 25, 2014, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yanbo, center left, stands next to Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma, center, and Sierra Leone's Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana, centre right, during the opening ceremony of the China Friendship Hospital catering for Ebola virus patience in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone's vice president has put himself in quarantine following the death from Ebola of one of his security guards. Sam-Sumana voluntarily decided to quarantine himself for 21 days following the death from Ebola last Tuesday Feb. 24, 2015, of one of his security personnel, according to a report issued late Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, by the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation. (AP Photo/ Michael Duff) In this photo taken on Sept. 25, 2014, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yanbo, center left, stands next to Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma, center, and Sierra Leone's Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana, centre right, during the opening ceremony of the China Friendship Hospital catering for Ebola virus patience in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone's vice president has put himself in quarantine following the death from Ebola of one of his security guards. Sam-Sumana voluntarily decided to quarantine himself for 21 days following the death from Ebola last Tuesday Feb. 24, 2015, of one of his security personnel, according to a report issued late Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, by the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation. (AP Photo/ Michael Duff)

By Associated Press March 1, 2015 2 min read

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) – Sierra Leone’s vice president has put himself in quarantine following the death from Ebola of one of his security guards.

Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana is set to become acting president later Sunday when President Ernest Bai Koroma leaves Sierra Leone to attend a European Union conference on Ebola in Belgium. Sam-Sumana will carry out his duties as president from his home.

He is the highest ranking African official to be in quarantine in this Ebola outbreak, which is fast approaching a death toll of 10,000.

Sam-Sumana voluntarily decided to quarantine himself for 21 days following the death from Ebola last Tuesday of one of his security personnel, according to the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation.

Sam-Sumana called on all those who have been in contact with the dead man to also put themselves in quarantine, said the report.