Cause of Ebola outbreak in West Africa was 'young boy playing near colony of infected bats', scientists declare

The most likely cause of the deadly outbreak of Ebola in West Africa was a young boy playing near a colony of virus-infected bats, scientists said today.

The two-year-old boy - described as the index case, or patient zero - became infected and was the first to die in his village in Meliandou, Guinea in December last year.

It is thought 'patient zero' was Emile Ouamouno, described as a playful toddler by his father Etienne.

Before his death, on December 6, 2013, Emile had been near a tree harbouring the free-tailed bats.

The toddler came down with a sky-high fever, began vomiting and passing black stools.

Click on the Read More link to see a picture of the late two-year-old Emile Ouamouno.

Etienne Ouamouno is pictured holding his young son Emile, thought to be 'patient zero' - the first person infected with Ebola, sparking the current outbreak

It took four days for the disease to claim Emile's life, and he passed away on December 6, 2013.

His sister Philomene fell ill on Christmas Day last year, and was dead before New Year.

Their mother followed, along with their grandmother, Etienne said earlier this year. The disease then spread to other members of the community before spreading to other parts of Guinea.

The disease was only recognised as Ebola in March, and in the summer it began to spread across international borders, infecting people in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria, before patients were diagnosed in Spain, US and UK.

The epidemic represents the largest ever-recorded Ebola outbreak, killing 7,800 people by December 17, 2014. ...DailyMail