Researchers in joint US-West African study funded by US Aid have discovered a new strain of Ebola virus in bats in northern Bombali region of Sierra Leone.
It has been named as Bombali virus strain, after the district where it was found. The Bombali virus is overall sixth known virus strain Ebola virus.
Others are Zaire, Sudan, Tai Forest, Bundibugyo, and Reston.
Ebola virus is a highly fatal hemorrhagic fever that is spread through contact with bodily fluids from infected persons and animals which include non-human primates, bats, and forest antelope.
Zaire strain of Ebola virus is the deadliest strain known.
The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was caused by the Zaire virus, which was discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly Zaire in 1976.