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WHO declares end of Ebola transmission in West Africa
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For the first time since the epidemic began, WHO has declared Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea free of Ebola virus transmission.
Forty-two days have passed since the last confirmed patient in Liberia tested negative for Ebola virus disease for a second time, according to WHO. Sierra Leone was confirmed to be free of transmission on Nov. 7, and Guinea on Dec. 29.
WHO said new “flare-ups,” however, will likely occur. To date, 10 flare-ups unassociated with the original chain of transmission have been identified. Recently, three EVD cases from Liberia were reported in December after the country was twice declared free of transmission, demonstrating the virus’ ability to persist in patients who have recovered. A preliminary report published in the New England Journal of Medicine by WHO, the CDC and the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation showed that Ebola virus RNA was detectable in semen at least 9 months after the onset of illness. In rare cases, Ebola survivors can infect their partners through sexual contact, WHO said.
Bruce Aylward
“We are now at a critical period in the Ebola epidemic as we move from managing cases and patients to managing the residual risk of new infections,” Bruce Aylward, MD, MPH, WHO’s special representative for Ebola response, said in the release. “The risk of reintroduction of infection is diminishing as the virus gradually clears from the survivor population, but we still anticipate more flare-ups and must be prepared for them. A massive effort is underway to ensure robust prevention, surveillance and response capacity across all three countries by the end of March.”
WHO and its partners will enhance surveillance to prevent new flares and ensure any new cases are quickly identified. Health officials also will help ensure people in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea have access to care and counseling services, and continue to be screened for Ebola virus.
Margaret Chan
“Detecting and breaking every chain of transmission has been a monumental achievement,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, MD, said in a press release. “So much was needed and so much was accomplished by national authorities, heroic health workers, civil society, local and international organizations and generous partners. But our work is not done and vigilance is necessary to prevent new outbreaks.”
According to WHO, as of Jan. 3, the Ebola epidemic affected 28,637 people and caused 11,315 deaths.