Two cases of the Ebola virus were confirmed in Liberia, the country's health minister Walter Gwenigale told the Associated Press.

The deadly virus is suspected to have killed 70 people in Guinea, where the outbreak was first reported on Mar. 23, prompting Senegal to close its border with the neighboring African state.

Liberia also borders with Guinea, as well as Sierra Leone where several recent deaths are suspected to be linked to the Ebola outbreak as well.

A woman who died in Lofa County tested positive for the virus. She was married to a Guinean man and she returned ill after visiting Guinea, said Gwenigale. The other patient is the sister of the dead woman; she is alive and is receiving treatment in a medical centre outside of Monrovia.

The Liberian government is expected to issue a statement monday, Mar. 31, Reuters reports citing an anonymous official of Liberia's health ministry.

As of 28 Mar 2014, 112 suspected & confirmed cases, incl 70 deaths has been reported in the ongoing #Ebola outbreak in #Guinea #AskEbola

— WHO (@WHO) March 30, 2014

 

Ebola is a highly contagious, deadly disease, typically contracted through physical contact with infected people or contaminated objects such as needles. Symptoms include fever, chest pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and external bleeding, There is no vaccine or cure for Ebola.

It has first been recorded in 1976 in what is today the Democratic Republic of Congo, and has so far killed more than 1,500 people. Outbreaks were also recorded in 1990s and 2000s; however, this is the first Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

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