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New Ebola cases in the three West African countries worst affected by the deadly outbreak of the virus are declining, weekly UN figures show.

Sierra Leone and Guinea both recorded the lowest weekly total of confirmed Ebola cases since August.

Liberia, which reported no new cases on two days last week, had its lowest weekly total since June.

The death toll from the world's worst Ebola outbreak has reached 8,429 with 21,296 cases so far.

According to the latest World Health Organization report, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone now all have sufficient capacity to bury all the people known to have died from Ebola.

But it said under-reporting of deaths meant that not all burials were being done safely.

While cases were decreasing in Sierra Leone, it remained the worst-affected country, with western areas still reporting the most new transmissions, the WHO said.

Last week, there were 59 new reported cases in the capital, Freetown.

Earlier this month, the outgoing head of the UN team fighting Ebola, Anthony Banbury, said he believed cases of the virus would be brought down to zero by the close of 2015.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)

Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage

Spread by body fluids, such as blood and saliva

Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 70%

Incubation period is two to 21 days

There is no proven vaccine or cure

Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery

Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus's natural host

Credit: The BBC