Ebola Update: Virus Found in Man's Semen 6 Months after Recovery

The World Health Organization has cautioned Ebola survivors to practise safe sex 'until further notice' after traces of the virus was found in a man's semen 6 months after his recovery.

According to WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, the man from Liberia had been declared Ebola free last September.

Jasarevic said, "He has provided a semen sample which has tested... positive for Ebola, 175 days after his negative blood test."

Earlier, WHO had reported traces of the virus in semen samples obtained 3 months after another patient was declared Ebola free.

With the findings, the health body urged patient to abstain from sexual intercourse and also urged Ebola survivors to practise safe sex by using condoms.

In its website, the WHO recommends "Ebola survivors should consider correct and consistent use of condoms for all sexual acts beyond three months until more information is available"

"We need to understand better if this particular case is an anomaly or if there really are groups of people who might (carry) parts of the Ebola virus longer" Jasarevic said, "We should have answers to allow us to give more definitive advice to survivors very, very quickly."

The Ebola virus outbreak has resulted in the deaths of more than 10,500 people, mostly affecting the populations of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.