Ebola kills 46 in Sierra Leone

Freetown, June 25 (IANS) As many as 46 people have died of the ebola virus in the West African state of Sierra Leone, a senior government official said Wednesday.

"There are now 163 confirmed cases of ebola while 15 patients have been discharged from the government hospital in Kenema," Xinhua quoted Brima Kargbo, chief medical officer in the health ministry, as saying.

Kargbo said most of the affected are "close relatives of those who have died from the disease", adding that 142 out of the 163 cases are from the Kailahun district.

The disease spreads by coming into contact with others. The affected people are aged between three and over 60 years, the official said, adding: "If only people report to hospitals without delay, their chances of survival are high."

"So far the type of ebola strain appears to be different from the one in DR Congo and this is why we have sent 30 blood samples of the ebola strain to Harvard University for identification," Kargbo stated.

As reports of suspected ebola patients being hidden in the houses of their families emerged, a government statement Wednesday warned that "any person shielding suspected ebola patients is violating the law".