Sierra Leone predicts no new Ebola cases by March end

Sierra Leone's president also predicted that the West African country – even as the country registered 19 new Ebola cases over a 24-hour period – would be Ebola-free by World Health Organization standards by May.

Even as his country registered 19 new Ebola cases over a 24-hour period, Sierra Leone's president is predicting there will be zero new confirmed cases by the end of March.

President Ernest Bai Koroma also predicted that his West African country — one of three hardest hit by the outbreak — would be Ebola-free by World Health Organization standards by May. Koroma made this pronouncement during town hall meetings this week in the northern Districts of Port Loko, Tonkolili, and Bombali.

Sierra Leone's southern Pujehun district has registered zero cases for more than 42 days, according to government statistics. Among the 19 new cases countrywide, at least eight were in and around the capital of Freetown.

Ebola has claimed over 8,000 lives, mostly in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.