Conakry, March 31 (IANS): The Guinea government has assured people that the ebola epidemic, which broke out Feb 9, has been brought "under control".

Speaking Sunday, government spokesman Albert Damantang Camara said the ebola epidemic "has been brought under control" with the support of international health organisations, Xinhua reported Monday.

The latest official figures show that of the 122 people who contracted the disease, 78 have died, Camara said.

In the capital Conakry the last death from ebola occurred Sunday evening, an official said.

"Guinea Red Cross volunteers went ahead to bury the body with all possible preventive measures," said Sakoba Keita, who heads the disease prevention unit.

Members of the crisis committee were actively trying to compile the latest data sent from Conakry and the interior of the country to tote up have reliable figures.

To prevent the spread of the disease to other countries in the West African region, medical experts from neighbouring countries like Cote d'Ivoire have already arrived in Guinea.

Keita expressed confidence that the ebola epidemic would be contained by mid-April.