Liberia hit by fresh outbreak of ebola

Dozens of new ebola cases have erupted in Liberia along the border with Sierra Leone, officials have said.

The announcement by assistant health minister Tolbert Nyenswah marks a setback for Liberia, which had seen the number of cases stabilise after having been the hardest-hit country in west Africa.

Nyenswah blamed the flare-up on a number of factors, including people moving in and out of the country and traditional practices such as the washing of bodies.

Nearly 3,400 people have died from ebola in Liberia over the past year out of nearly 8,000 cases, although health officials say the situation has improved, especially in the capital, Monrovia.

Sierra Leone has now eclipsed Liberia with more than 9,000 cases, according to the World Health Organisation.