Ebola outbreak in Guinea 'unprecedented' - MSF

The Ebola outbreak that has killed 78 people in Guinea is "unprecedented", a medical charity has said.

An official with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said the spread of the disease across the country made it very difficult to control.

The West African state is facing a battle to contain the outbreak after cases were reported in towns that are hundreds of kilometres apart.

Ebola is spread by close contact and kills between 25% and 90% of victims.

"We are facing an epidemic of a magnitude never before seen in terms of the distribution of cases," Mariano Lugli, a co-ordinator in Guinea for the aid group said.