Ethiopia is hosting the largest number of South Sudan refugees, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has announced.

Ethiopia has exceeded Kenya in hosting most of the refugees in Africa, sheltering more than 60,000 as of the end of July, says the UN agency.

It says the conflict, which erupted in mid-December has sent 188,000 South Sudan refugees into Ethiopia.

According to UNHCR, about 25,000 refugees arrive in Ethiopia every month, and most of them are vulnerable children.

The spokesperson of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Adrian Edwards, says the main factor in the change of refugees fleeing, is the conflict in South Sudan.

Mr. Adrian says UNHCR, together with the Ethiopian Government and other partners are providing protection to the refugees.

He says they are also providing humanitarian aid across 23 refugee camps and five transit sites inside Ethiopia.

UNHCR also says it is setting up centers to treat suspected cases of Hepatitis E, which have appeared in camps in Ethiopia.

The on-going conflict in South Sudan has displaced an estimated 1.5 million people.