Two-year-old first to die of Ebola in Mali

The two-year-old girl who was the first Malian to contract Ebola has died.

The girl, who was diagnosed with the viral disease at an hospital in Kayes, west of capital Bamako, contracted it in Guinea, one of the three badly hit West African countries.

According to CNN, the girl died late on Friday, three days after she was first taken to a clinic.

Marie-Maule Kieny, the WHO assistant director-general, addressed a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, to say that media reports that the child’s mother showed Ebola-like symptoms were still being ascertained.

However, Markatie Daou, spokeswoman of Mali’s ministry of health, confirmed that more than 40 people who had contact with the girl were still being monitored.

So far, none of them has shown any symptom of the virus.

According to Tarik Jasarevic, spokesman of WHO, those under monitoring include 10 medical workers who came into contact with the deceased in Kayes.

The girl’s case makes Mali the sixth West African country to be hit by the virus, which WHO reported has killed more than 4,800 people.

Nigeria and Senegal, though, are now Ebola-free.