This is the first time that all three of the countries most affected by the 2013 outbreak – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – have all reported zero cases for 42 days.
Advertisement
The director of WHO, Margaret Chan and Ban Ki-Moon warned that the virus might erupt again in the region.
Liberia follows Sierra Leone and Guinea, which were declared free of Ebola transmission on 7 November and 29 December a year ago, respectively.
Scientists are learning more about the long-term effects of Ebola and also about the longevity of the virus in survivors.
It’s been a long, hard fight, but the World Health Organization has finally announced that West Africa is Ebola-free. Sierra Leone and Guinea were both declared Ebola-free past year.
Ban also called for continuing health care and support for the more than 10,000 survivors of Ebola in West Africa, many of whom experience persistent pain.
The extremely high mortality rate of the disease, estimated at around 60% in this outbreak, means that Ebola can quickly claim more lives than other, more established killers.
World Health Organization cautioned, however, that the three countries remain at high risk of small outbreaks like the most recent one in Liberia, which are likely due to the virus persisting in survivors after recovery.
Health workers assist a patient suspected of having Ebola on their way to a treatment centre run by … USA recorded 4 cases and one death while Italy, U.K, Senegal, and Spain recorded one case each, but with no causality.
“These are essential requirements to prevent any future outbreak from spreading”.
“Today’s WHO announcement is welcome news but we must learn from Ebola’s devastating impact and ensure we are better prepared for infectious disease outbreaks”, Dr. Seth Berkley, the head of the nonprofit organization, GAVI Alliance, which is committed to increasing the accessibility of vaccinations in low-income nations, said reported by Reuters. Emails, documents and interviews obtained by the AP show World Health Organization and other responders failed to organize a strong response even after the signal was issued. “National and global responders will need to remain fully engaged”, Ban said, adding that Liberia was about to declare the end of the outbreak. This led to the discovery that Ebola virus can live for several months in the semen, spinal column and eye fluid of survivors-though the implications and transmission risk are not yet clear.
Advertisement
Tolbert Nyenswah, Liberian deputy health minister, said the country would be vigilant, as related to maintaining surveillance and thereby keeping the nation safe from Ebola.
