Ebola Outbreak in Liberia Finally Over: WHO

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The World Health Organization has announced that Liberia is now free from Ebola virus, signaling the end of the outbreak that has caused devastation to West Africa for two years.

However, the WHO warned that the “job is not over,” stating that flare-ups are expected to occur. As such, heightened surveillance efforts and responsive measures are needed for the next few months.

Health officials usually wait 42 days before declaring if a region of country is Ebola-free, Live Science reported. This is because it takes 21 days for a person infected with the virus to show any symptom.

Liberia was the last of three countries to declare being Ebola-free. The three countries that were hardest-hit when the outbreak occurred are Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Sierra Leone was declared free of the disease Nov. 7, 2015, and Guinea followed suit Dec. 29.

Liberia, on the other hand, experienced two flare-ups after declaring it was Ebola-free back in May. However, today marks the 42nd day since the last person who has contracted the virus was cured and, because of this, the country was declared Ebola-free.

“Detecting and breaking every chain of transmission has been a monumental achievement,” Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, said.

“So much was needed and so much was accomplished by national authorities, heroic health workers, civil society, local and international organizations and generous partners,” Chan added. “But our work is not done and vigilance is necessary to prevent new outbreaks.”

Medecins San Frontieres, or “Doctors Without Walls,” an independent medical organization who, according to BBC, was the first to warn the public about Ebola's dangers, said that the day of declaration was marked as a day of rejoicing.

“Today is a day of celebration and relief that this outbreak is finally over“ Joanne Liu, MSF’s International President, said in a statement.

However, amid all the celebrating and rejoicing over the declaration, experts warned that vigilance is still required.

All three countries are at high risk of having flare-ups, according to the WHO. So far, 10 flare-ups that were not part of the original outbreak have occurred, likely the result of the virus surviving even after the infected person has recovered.

Additionally, the WHO has found evidence suggesting that, although the virus disappears from the body of a person who has been cured, it's a different thing for male survivors: the virus can remain in their semen for as long as a year and might even be transmitted to intimate partners.