Ebola virus has hit Liberia, as first two cases have been confirmed, it spread from neighbouring Guinea, where the deadly virus has killed 78 people. The two Liberian cases are sisters, one of whom had recently returned from Guinea. The situation has led Senegal to close its normally busy border with Guinea.
 
Senegalese singer Youssou Ndour cancelled Saturday's concert in Guinea's capital Conakry because of the outbreak. Although he had already travelled to Conakry, he felt it would not be a good idea to bring hundreds or thousands of people together in an enclosed area.

Ebola is spread by close contact and kills between 25% and 90% of its victims. The outbreak began in Guinea's remote south-eastern Forest Region but last week spread to the capital, a sprawling city of two million.

Senegal's Health Minister Awa Marie Coll-Seck said the government decided to close its border with Guinea after confirmation the virus had reached Conakry.

There have also been suspected cases of Ebola in neighbouring Sierra Leone but these have not been confirmed.

The outbreak is believed to have spread to humans from fruit bats, which are a delicacy in parts of south-eastern Guinea. The government has now banned the sale and consumption of the bats. It has also urged people to ensure they regularly wash their hands with soap to prevent the virus from spreading.