Samples taken from the 17-year-old boy who died from Ebola in Liberia nearly two weeks ago show the virus is genetically similar to viruses that infected many people in the same area more than six months ago, the World Health Organization said Friday. That finding by genetic sequencing suggests it is unlikely the virus was caught from travel to infected areas of Guinea or Sierra Leone, AP quoted the group as saying. "It also makes it unlikely that this has been caused by a new emergence from a natural reservoir, such as a bat or other animal," it said. Five new cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the town of Nedowein, including the teen who died June 28. The four others with Ebola are among 149 identified contacts, WHO said. Blood tests are being done on all of them to see if "there are people who had the virus in their bodies without knowing it," said Dr. Margaret Harris, a spokeswoman for WHO. More than 4,800 Liberians died of Ebola before the country was declared free of transmissions in May.
