Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Thursday declared a state of emergency in an attempt to stop the Ebola outbreak spreading across West Africa, dpa reported. "The death rate among citizens, especially among health workers, is alarming," said Johnson Sirleaf in a statement posted on the Executive Mansion's website. "The health care system in the country is now under immense strain." The president instructed all non-essential government staff to stay at home for 30 days; ordered the closure of schools and markets; and directed that all public buildings be fumigated. More than 500 confirmed or suspected Ebola cases have been reported in Liberia, with 282 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.
