Persons who died of Ebola virus disease at home in rural communities in Liberia and Guinea resulted in more secondary infections than persons admitted to Ebola treatment units. Intensified monitoring of contacts of persons who died of this disease in the community is an evidence-based approach to reduce virus transmission in rural communities.
Keywords: Ebola virus; Ebola virus disease; Guinea; Liberia; disease outbreaks; hemorrhagic fever; hospitalization; patient isolation; public health; quarantine; rural communities; secondary infections; viruses; western Africa.