A 2-year-old girl
in Mali has been diagnosed with Ebola, making her the West African country's
first confirmed case.
CNN reports that
the girl was brought to Mali from neighboring Guinea, where the outbreak this year
is believed to have started. The girl, whose father died of Ebola, was taken to
the hospital in Kayes after a nurse noticed she was suffering
from what appeared to be Ebola-like symptoms. A test confirmed the girl has
Ebola.
Health Ministry spokeswoman Markatie Daou said:
"The girl is
still in the hospital in Kayes together with members of her family who might
have been exposed to the virus," she said.
The confirmed case
in Mali makes it the sixth West African country to be hit by the virus, which the
WHO reported has killed more than 4,800 people.