Three new Ebola cases in Liberia

A health worker injects a woman with an Ebola vaccine during a trial in Monrovia, Liberia, in February. Liberia’s testing of experimental vaccines involves thousands of volunteers. Picture: REUTERS

Liberia confirmed a third new case of the Ebola virus on Thursday as the disease has re-emerged in recent days nearly two months after the outbreak was declared over in the West African nation.

The discovery of the new cases undermines the biggest success story of the West African Ebola outbreak that began last year.

Liberia, where 4,800 people have died out of the 11,200 killed in the outbreak, was declared Ebola-free on May 9 even as the disease continued to infect new victims in neighbouring Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The first new case, 17-year-old Abraham Memaigar, died on Sunday about 50km from the capital Monrovia.

"We have, as of yesterday, three confirmed cases. One expired. The two live cases are stable," Deputy Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah said on Thursday.

He said Memaigar was initially misdiagnosed with malaria. Tests later confirmed his Ebola infection.

None of the new victims was known to have travelled to Guinea or Sierra Leone — leading to speculation among the medical community that there could be hidden pockets of the disease or new means of transmission.

Mr Nyenswah said health officials were monitoring 175 people believed to have come into contact with the three cases, though none had yet exhibited symptoms of the disease.

"There is no further spread of the virus to any part of the country as we speak. It is being localised in a single town called Nedowein," Mr Nyenswah said.

A US military operation aimed at helping Liberia’s government counter the outbreak has mostly withdrawn.

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a US health body, said it was working with local authorities to study the origin of the cases and stop the virus spreading.

Reuters