Guinea bans sale of forest animal meat to curb Ebola pandemic

Guinean authorities Wednesday banned the sale and consumption of forest animals, after two more people died of Ebola, raising the death toll from the deadly virus to 61, dpa reported. Chimpanzees, monkeys, bats, antelopes, porcupines and rats are delicacies in the West African nation - but they are also potential carriers of Ebola. Healh officials in neighbouring Liberia reported one new Ebola case, after announcing 11 suspected cases and five deaths earlier this week. The cases were detected in the districts of Zorzor, Lofa and Foyah, near Liberia's northern border with Guinea. Last week, Guinea's Ministry of Health registerd almost 100 infections since the virus was first reported last month, noting that the outbreak has reached "epidemic proportions." Ebola is one of the most contagious viral diseases known, often resulting in death. The virus cannot be prevented with a vaccine and is untreatable with medication.