A senior government minister in Sierra Leone defended the planes from a three-day isolation from the national population to try to slow the spread of Ebola.
The charity Doctors Without Borders criticized the move, saying it could force those affected into hiding.
Sierra Leone’s Justice Minister Frank Kargbo told the BBC that the imposition of a curfew, which will come into effect later this month, was based on the advice of international experts and was a recognized method of containing the virus.
He added that he hopes that the measure will allow the authorities to identify the majority or even all of those who suffer from symptoms.