Health officials in Liberia are investigating news Ebola cases that emerged amidst the recent announcement that the country is now Ebola-free. A 17-year old student died from the disease on Sunday and two more people tested positive for Ebola after coming in contact with the boy. The health ministry is tracking more than 100 people who were probably with the boy during his infective phase.
"One hundred and two contacts have been identified, although that number is expected to increase as investigations continue," the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest report on the epidemic.
According to Washington Post, the case has placed Liberia in the hot spot again after reporting no new infections in the last two months. However, health officials are now trained and experienced in containing the virus that is why they are moving faster to prevent its spread and the possibility of a new outbreak.
Spokesman for the health department in Margibi County told Agence France-Presse, "We are still waiting for additional blood tests but that two people who had physical contact with the boy had contracted the virus."
The new case was reported in Nedowein, the same village where the boy died, reports BBC News. Even though the ministry had monitored and quarantined the area in the village where the boy died and the funeral followed safety measures, the two new cases were reported. However, one of the patients did not live with the teenager but came in physical contact with the boy.
According to the Situation and Update Report of the World Health Organization, as of July 1, 2015, Liberia incurred a total of 10,666 cases and 4,806 deaths while the overall cumulative number of cases has reached 27,514 with 11,220 deaths.