GENEVA, Switzerland, Nov. 20 (UPI/Marilyn Malara) ─ A 10-year-old boy in Liberia has been diagnosed with Ebola two months after the country was declared free from the virus.
Dr. R. Bruce Aylward of the World Health Organization announced the development during a press conference Friday in Geneva.
“About 24 hours ago, we learned of a new case in Liberia,” Aylward said. “This is a 10-year-old boy who became sick on the 14th of November and who was confirmed yesterday as Ebola virus-positive.”
Aylward, the executive director of outbreaks and health emergencies at WHO, said he didn’t have detailed information about the boy.
“The child has no known history of contact with a survivor,” he said. “But as the investigation goes forward…we will start to see more clarity.” The boy’s family is being tested for the virus, he said.
Liberia was first declared Ebola-free in early May before reporting four new cases weeks later. The country was most recently declared liberated from the epidemic on Sept. 3. This is the first case of Ebola that is not believed to be associated with the initial 2014 outbreak.
