Ebola rapidly advancing in Sierra Leone

Ebola is spreading up to nine times faster in parts of Sierra Leone than it was two months ago.

"Whilst new cases appear to have slowed in Liberia, Ebola is continuing to spread frighteningly quickly in parts of Sierra Leone," according to a report by the Africa Governance Initiative.

On average, 12 new cases a day were seen in the rural areas surrounding Freetown in late October, compared with 1.3 cases in early September, the report said, a nine fold increase.

Transmission was also increasing rapidly in the capital Freetown, with the average number of daily cases six times higher than two months ago.

The analysis was based on three-day averages of new cases recorded by Sierra Leone's health ministry.

It emerged after the United States envoy to the United Nations welcomed slowing infection rates in some areas, and improved burial practices.

AGI, a support initiative set up by former British prime minister Tony Blair, said the situation was still "a full-blown crisis".

Almost 5,000 people have been killed by the virus, according to data from the World Health Organisation, which has recorded more than 13,000 cases but admits the real number of infections and deaths could be much higher.