Guinea declared free of Ebola transmissions

Guinea has been declared free from transmission of Ebola, the World Health Organization said yesterday, marking a milestone for the West African country where the original Ebola chain of transmission began two years ago leading to the largest epidemic in history.
The U.N. organization is holding a ceremony on Tuesday in Conakry, the capital, to mark the step forward. More than 2,500 people have died in Guinea from Ebola. The deadly virus has killed more than 11,300 people worldwide, mostly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Guinea will now enter a 90-day period of heightened surveillance. Dr. Mohamed Belhocine, World Health Organization representative in Guinea, said the organization and partners will continue to support Guinea through this period and “in its early efforts to restart and strengthen essential health services throughout 2016.”
The World Health Organization declares that the Ebola disease transmission has ended when the country goes through two incubation periods — 21 days each — without a new case emerging.
Guinea was the last to struggle to stamp out the deadly disease, until Liberia saw a new case in November. Sierra Leone was declared free from transmissions Nov. 7. Liberia was declared Ebola-free twice, but has entered a third countdown after the new cases emerged. AP