New case destroys Liberia's hopes of being Ebola free

 Children come forward to get their feet disinfected.

A person in Liberia tested positive for Ebola, destroying hopes that the West African nation might soon be declared free of the virus.
Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) confirmed the new Ebola patient late on Friday, after Liberia had not reported a new cases for 20 days.



As the incubation period of the deadly virus is 21 days, the World Health Organization (WHO) requires a country to show that no new case has been reported for 42 days before officially declaring it Ebola free.

The new patient is a woman who was tested in an MSF treatment unit at Redemption Hospital in the capital, Monrovia. She was reportedly infected during sexual intercourse with an Ebola survivor.

The report prompted a backlash on the streets of Monrovia, where some residents blamed the victim.

"Some people just don't learn. Health authorities have warned Ebola survivors to stay away from sex for 90 days after their discharge. Why couldn't she wait or simply use a condom?" said one Monrovia resident.

Liberia is one of the countries worst hit by an Ebola epidemic, with 9,526 reported infections and 4,264 deaths.

The number of people infected with Ebola in the last 15 months reached 24,701 worldwide, of which 10,194 died, according to the World Health Organization.