GUINEA has been declared free of Ebola after more than 2500 people died from the virus in the West African nation.
LIBERIA is now the only country still counting down the days until the end of the epidemic.
Guinea’s announcement comes 42 days after its last patient confirmed with Ebola tested negative for a second time. The nation now enters a 90-day period of heightened surveillance, the UN World Health Organization said on Tuesday. The world’s worst outbreak of the disease began in Gueckedou, eastern Guinea, in December 2013 before spreading to Liberia, Sierra Leone and seven other countries. In all, more than 11,300 people died. At its height, Ebola sparked fear around the world and caused governments and businesses to take precautions. “I commend the governments, communities and partners for their determination in confronting this epidemic,” said WHO regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti. “As we work towards building resilient health care systems, we need to stay vigilant to ensure that we rapidly stop any new flares that may come up in 2016.”