Liberia to be declared Ebola-free, ending world outbreak

The World Health Organization on Thursday will declare Liberia Ebola-free, joining Guinea and Sierra Leone, which earned that status at the end of past year. Most of these deaths were reported from three countries – Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Dr Chan described the next three months as “the most critical” for the three West African nations, which accounted for nearly all of the deaths from the outbreak.

Health workers wash their hands after taking a blood specimen from a child to test for the Ebola virus in an area where a 17-year old boy died from the virus on the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia, Tuesday, June 30, 2015.

However he admitted that serious challenges still remained, with more flare-ups of Ebola anticipated in the coming year.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon celebrated the impending end of West Africa’s Ebola epidemic with cautious relief, warning that future flare-ups are inevitable and imploring the world not to let its guard down.

The deadly virus causes severe fever and muscle pain, weakness, vomiting and diarrhea. In many cases it shuts down organs and causes unstoppable internal bleeding.

Ebola is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of those infected.

A country is considered free of human-to-human transmission of Ebola once 42 days have passed since the last known case. The only treatment offered is “supportive intensive care”.

Sorie and Sewa are from the same village, Kebala, in Sierra Leone, they and Yokie are best friends.

An overhaul of the WHO’s epidemic response guidelines means the deployment of medical staff, virus-blocking suits, medicines and other material is likely to be much faster next time.

Meanwhile, WHO chief Margaret Chan said the virus could persist in some Ebola survivors even after their full recovery.

Tolbert Nyenswah, Liberia’s deputy minister of health for public health and head of the country’s Ebola response, said despite the global concern, Liberia has the resiliency and capacity to contain any resurgence of the virus.