In the Guinean village of Meliandou, Etienne Ouamouno looks through photos of his wife and family.

His son, just two at the time, was the first victim to have died of Ebola in December of last year. Shortly thereafter, his daughter and wife also died.

(SOUNDBITE) (Kissi) ETIENNE OUAMOUNO, WHO LOST HIS SON, DAUGHTER AND WIFE TO EBOLA, SAYING:

"Before my children Emile and Philomène died, they loved to play with a ball. My wife liked to carry the baby on her back."

Scientists have traced the current outbreak back to this village.

Here, it's children who've been the worst affected- either falling ill or becoming orphaned, or both.

(SOUNDBITE) (French) UNICEF CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER, FASSOU ISIDOR LAMA, SAYING:

"We noticed that with this crisis, which is almost a humanitarian catastrophe, people flee their villages, and abandon their families and their children. They reject the infected children and the other infected family members. That's why UN