Guinea reports 495 confirmed Ebola cases

Guinea's health ministry, in its latest data on the Ebola epidemic in the country, showed 495 confirmed cases with 367 deaths, an official said Saturday.

According to the official, 94 patients have been discharged from health centres across the country, while 19 remain hospitalised, Xinhua reported.

In the southern town of Gueckedou which was the most affected, there were nine cases.

Guinea's capital city of Conakry recorded seven in the past one week.

However, the health ministry official said that there was no new Ebola case reported this week in the seven interior regions that has been the most affected such as Telimele, Kissidougou, Macenta, Dabola, Dinguiraye, Kouroussa and Boffa.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Friday declared the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa as an international health emergency.

It noted that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa constituted an "extraordinary event" and a public health risk to other countries.

The current Ebola outbreak started in Guinea in December 2013.

It has now manifested itself in Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone besides Guinea.

As of Aug 4, the countries have reported 1,711 cases (1,070 confirmed, 436 probable, 205 suspect), including 932 deaths.

The virus is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of those infected.

"This is currently the largest EVD outbreak ever recorded," the UN body said.