The News Minute | January 22, 2015 | 10:09 am IST

Monrovia: The Liberian government Wednesday said 2,800 bodies have so far been cremated following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

This was disclosed by the head of the National Ebola Burial Team, Ciatta Bishop, when she provided an Ebola update at a regular press briefing here, Xinhua reported.

Bishop told reporters that the cremation and burial teams collected over 2,800 bodies across the country during the process for burial and cremation.

She also said no infection or death occurred among those cremating or burying Ebola bodies during the fight against the virus. "Even though they were stigmatised and rejected by some communities and families, they actually stood up and held on to defending their country," Bishop said.

The Ebola team was set up in August 2014, when the virus overwhelmed the country due to lack of coordination and facilities to dispose of the Ebola dead.

Health authorities in the country say the drastic reduction in the number of cases and 12 of the 15 counties not reporting cases for a long time is an indication the virus is about to be defeated.

In Liberia alone, 3,496 people have died from the virus in the latest outbreak, the World Health Organisation (WHO) data showed. However, case incidence has declined to low levels in the country, the WHO said in its update released.

With IANS