Liberia Confirms 15-year-old Boy Died from Ebola, First Death in Months

Liberia has confirmed that a 15-year-old boy has died after contracting the Ebola virus. The death is the first for the nation since July.

The health officials stated that the patient had tested positive for Ebola last week after dealing with symptoms such as fever, weakness and bleeding. He died Monday in a Paynesville hospital. The boy's father and brother, who also tested positive, are currently being treated for the virus at the hospital.

Officials added that a total of 153 people, who may have come into contact with the boy, are being monitored. An additional 25 healthcare employees are under surveillance. 10 of them are considered to be high-risk, Francis Kateh, the chief medical officer, revealed.

Liberia declared that it was free of the virus on Sept 3. They currently do not know where these cases originated. The health officials have asked the experts at the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for help with the investigation.

"Our working hypothesis is that the virus is reintroduced into the human population through uninfected people and we know that it is a possibility that people who have been infected with the virus previously may continue to transmit," the representative for Liberia at the United Nations' World Health Organization, Dr. Alex Gasasira, said reported by Reuters.

Since the Ebola epidemic first started in West Africa back in December 2013, more than 11,300 people have died. Liberia had the highest death toll at more than 4,800. The other two West African countries that were severely affected by the virus were Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Sierra Leone declared that it was free of the virus on Nov. 7. Guinea started the 42-day countdown to becoming Ebola-free on Nov. 16.