Dr. Bernice Dahn had no symptoms. But her move to quarantine her office was in line with a government policy on containing the crisis. In crowded, jostling communities of the capital, Monrovia, the government’s 21-day quarantine rule is mostly ignored.

After Dahn’s assistant died, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare stopped working Thursday to allow sprayers to decontaminate the building.

“Of course we made the rule, so I am home for 21 days. I did it on my own. I told my office staff to stay at home for the 21 days. That’s what we need to do,” Dahn told the Associated Press in an interview Saturday.

Liberia has had nearly 2,400 confirmed or probable cases of the Ebola virus, plus more than 1,000 suspected cases. Cases continue to increase exponentially, with 150 reported in the last two days.