New York, Rabi'II 18, 1436, Feb 7, 2015, SPA -- About 16,600 children have lost one or both parents or primary caregivers because of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the United Nation Children's Fund said Friday. UNICEF said that 3,600 children had lost both parents in the three West African countries worst hit by the world's deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, that began in March. "Since overcoming their initial fears and misconceptions about Ebola, families have been showing incredible support, providing care and protection for children whose parents have died," dpa quoted Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF's regional director for West and Central Africa, as saying. About 250 orphaned children who had come into contact with Ebola-infected people were placed under observation for 21 days, the incubation period of the disease. More than 90 percent of them were then taken in by their extended families. Ebola has killed 8,981 people, and more than 22,400 cases have been reported, according to the World Health Organization. Recently, the rate of new infections has declined sharply, suggesting the crisis will soon be over. --SPA 14:46 LOCAL TIME 11:46 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w