GENEVA, Rabi'I 2, 1436, Dec 24, 2014, SPA -- The global death toll from Ebola has risen to 7,588 out of 19,497 confirmed cases recorded in the year-old epidemic raging in West Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The virus is still spreading intensely in Sierra Leone, especially in the north and west, with 315 new confirmed cases reported in the former British colony in the week to December 21, it said. These included 115 cases in the capital Freetown. "The neighbouring district of Port Loko experienced a surge in new cases, reporting 92 confirmed cases compared with 56 the previous week," the WHO said. In Sierra Leone, information about how to prevent and treat Ebola was provided to more than 5,000 households between 10 and 17 December as part of a major awareness campaign, it said. In Guinea, 156 confirmed cases were recorded during the same period, "the highest weekly case incidence reported by the country in this outbreak", the WHO said. "This largely due to a surge in cases in the south-eastern district of Kissidougou, which reported 58 confirmed cases - one-third of cases reported in the country in the past week. " Noting the district had previously reported no more than five cases per week, it said the surge showed the need for continuing vigilance even where the virus was not widespread. In Liberia, where case incidence has been declining for the past month, 21 cases were reported in the week to December 21. -- SPA 22:38 LOCAL TIME 19:38 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w