The trial of people accused of killing eight Ebola health workers and journalists opened Monday in a remote region of Guinea.

 

The trial highlights the challenges health workers faced in this Ebola outbreak that has claimed more than 10,000 lives, mostly in the impoverished West African nations of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

 

Around 78 suspects are being tried in the town of N'Nzerekore, 900 kilometers (560 miles) from the capital of Conakry, Ministry of Justice spokesman Ibrahima Beavogui said. The killings happened when a delegation of health care workers, including top health officials from the nearby town, visited Womey last September to raise awareness about how to combat Ebola. They were attacked by a mob armed with knives and stones.

 

Defense lawyers maintain their clients are not the real perpetrators of the attack, just ordinary residents picked up in military sweeps. "Soldiers just came to Womey and arrested the innocent while the guilty fled," said defense lawyer Michel Sonomu.

 

CONAKRY, Guinea

 

Ebola Returns to Liberia

. 2014 Ebola Outbreak Deadliest in History 

 

A patient has tested positive for Ebola in Liberia's capital, officials said Friday, deflating hopes that the country had beaten the disease after weeks with no new cases.

 

Liberia has had the most deaths in the West African Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 10,000 people and sickened more than 24,000. But since it discharged its last case on March 5, it was counting down to being declared Ebola-free. Countries must wait 42 days from when the last patient tests negative to be declared free of the virus.

 

Now a new patient has tested positive, Dr. Francis Kateh, the acting head of the country's Ebola Incident Management Team, said Friday. A second test is generally done to confirm the diagnosis.

 

In a worrying sign, it is not clear where the woman became infected. She doesn't seem to be linked to any of the people on a list of contacts of other Ebola patients, Kateh said.

 

"We have to investigate where the person came from," he said. "Did they travel out of the country?"

 

An emergency meeting will be held on Saturday to compile data on the case.

 

BY REBECCA DAVIS

NBC News