Freetown: The World Health Organisation on Friday confirmed a new death from Ebola in Sierra Leone, a day after West Africa celebrated halting the spread of the virus.
"We can confirm the Ebola case in Sierra Leone," the WHO said in a statement, after a 22-year-old female student was taken ill near the Guinean border and died three days ago, with an initial swab testing positive for Ebola.
Francis Langoba Kelly, spokesman for the Office of National Security, told local radio Friday that tests on a woman who died in the country's north earlier this month were positive for the virus. Kelly said the country's level of preparedness is high and there is no cause for concern.
Nearly 4,000 people died before Sierra Leone was first declared free from transmission Nov. 7. Guinea marked that day on Nov. 29. Liberia had been declared Ebola-free twice before Thursday. Officials warned flare-ups were possible.
Ebola has killed more than 11,300 people, mostly in West Africa, since it emerged at the end of 2013.
