Ebola Epidemic In West Africa, Mali Has Been Officially Declared Over

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa, Mali has been officially declared over. This is because no new cases of the disease were reported for the past 42 days, according to the Malian Health Minister Ousmane Koné in Bamako. The UN representative responsible for the control of Ebola in Mali, Ibrahim Soce has confirmed the end of the epidemic.
In Mali, seven people had died of Ebola.
Health Minister Ousmane Koné in his broadcast on television in Bamako, thanked the authorities and nurses for their "weeks of intensive work," but at the same time called on to continue to comply strictly with the standards of hygiene and safety practises. According to the information provided by the Minister, the last patient treated for Ebola in December was tested negative for the virus.
In Mali, Ebola epidemic has now been "left behind," said the Health Minister and the UN representative. The country will still keep on strictly complying with the requirements of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Thus, two incubation periods of 21 days without new cases of Ebola are necessary for a country to be considered exempt from the epidemic.
Ebola is a dangerous viral disease and highly contagious, when patients have symptoms such as fever, pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. The virus is transmitted through body fluids and for that reason nurses are very vulnerable.
Most affected by the recent epidemic are the West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, but the WHO has announced that the infections rate has clearly reduced. WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic spoke of a "first optimistic signal".
Because of the improved situation schools and universities are to be opened soon in Guinea. In Liberia, where schools have been closed since the end of July, will start in February.
According to the latest WHO figures, more than 8400 people died of Ebola and nearly 21,300 people were infected. Virtually all victims were killed in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.