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Sierra Leone announces the end of Ebola disease

Xinhua, March 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Thursday that the recent flare up of the Ebola virus disease has ended.

The declaration came 42 days, two 21-day incubation cycles of the disease, since the last confirmed Ebola patient, who was a secondary case of the flare up tested negative for a second time.

In a statement read over the national broadcaster, Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, the Minister of Health, Dr. Abu Bakarr Fofanah thanked the people on behalf of the President, Ernest Bai Koroma, for the success in combating what he described "this scourge".

He said since the outbreak of the first virus in Zaire in 1976 there has been 40 outbreaks worldwide with 35 recorded in Africa noting that, except for South Africa, which experienced only one outbreak, each of the countries have had more than one outbreak of the virus.

He cautioned that "much as we should be happy about the end of the virus, we must not be complacent as we have the risk for the virus to resurge again, according to the experts".

In a joint press conference to announce the end of the disease this morning the WHO and the ministry described the occasion as another "milestone" in the country's effort to defeat Ebola.

The WHO commends the government, partners and the people on the "effective and swift response" to this latest outbreak.

The WHO's country representative in Sierra Leone continues to stress that Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea are "still at risk of Ebola flare ups largely due to virus persistence in survivors" and request that they remain alert.

Dr. Anders Nordstrom admonished Sierra Leoneans to "ensure existing early warning systems and the capacity already in place are maintained and strengthened".

The epidemic which first erupted in Guinea in March 2014 ended up crossing over to Liberia and Sierra Leone, killing over 11,000 people in the sub-region and claiming the lives of 3,590 people in Sierra Leone including 222 healthcare workers. Endit