The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the international public health emergency concerning the Ebola virus. “The risk of an international extension is now low and countries currently have the capacity to respond quickly to resurgences of the virus,” said Margaret Chan, director of WHO, at a press conference, echoed by the ‘AFP.
The emergency procedure was put in place in August 2014 in response to the outbreak of the Ebola virus.
Vigilance remains however required for the three West African countries affected by the virus, namely Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. “It is important to maintain a high level of vigilance and a response capacity to enable countries to cope by quickly detecting possible cases and organizing a response accordingly,” continued the WHO director.
A resurgence in Guinea
The announcement comes days after Guinea announced five deaths linked to a resurgence of the Ebola virus. Measures to surround the population in contact with infected people have been taken. An investigation is underway to determine the causes of these new contaminations.
Since the end of 2013, Ebola hemorrhage fever has been officially responsible for the deaths of 11,300 people. 28,000 cases of contamination by the virus have been identified.
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