Ebola setback for Sierra Leone as capital records new cases

Sierra Leone's capital Freetown has suffered a fresh outbreak of Ebola, dashing hopes that health authorities in the densely-populated city of 1.2 million had beaten the deadly epidemic.

The government's National Ebola Response Centre (NERC) told AFP late on Tuesday three cases had emerged in the east-end slum of Magazine Wharf -- three weeks after the last known infections in the capital.

Health officials said six people have been under observation since the first of the new cases -- a casual labourer -- tested positive on June 17.

Read more