Liberian Soldiers Seal Slum to Halt Ebola

Liberian security forces sealed off a seaside slum in the capital Wednesday in the latest effort to stop the spread of Ebola, setting off protests by angry residents. A resident of the West Point district said by phone that security forces were firing into the air to disperse crowds angry over the quarantine measures.

People could be seen gathering at roadblocks just outside the West Point area to complain that they had been cut off from their homes. Fear and tension have been building in Monrovia for days and West Point – one of the poorest and most densely populated neighborhoods of the capital, with at least 50,000 residents – has been one of the flash points. West Point residents raided an Ebola screening center over the weekend, accusing officials of bringing sick people from all over Monrovia into their neighborhood. In many areas of the capital, meanwhile, dead bodies have lain in the streets for hours, sometimes days. The Ebola outbreak, which began in December, has killed at least 1,229 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.