HIGHLIGHTS
WHO officially marks the end of the EVD outbreak in Liberia on May 9
A USAID/OFDA supported EVD treatment unit (ETU) in Kenema District, Sierra Leone, enters hibernation after more than two months without treating an EVD-positive patient
The Government of Guinea (GoG) concludes a case-finding campaign in Coyah Prefecture and launches a new EVD detection and prevention campaign in Forécariah Prefecture
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
On May 9, the 42-day EVD monitoring period elapsed in Liberia with zero new confirmed EVD cases, marking the end of the EVD outbreak in the county—the first of West Africa’s three acutely EVD-affected countries to achieve the milestone. WHO and the Government of Liberia (GoL) marked the occasion with official statements declaring the end of the outbreak, lauding response efforts, and underscoring the importance of continued vigilance, particularly with ongoing EVD transmission in neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone. The GoL will maintain enhanced EVD surveillance activities for at least 90 days.
WHO reported the highest weekly number of new confirmed EVD cases in the region in more than one month during the week ending May 17, with a total of 35 new cases recorded in Guinea and Sierra Leone. Of the eight new confirmed cases occurring in Sierra Leone during the reporting week, one case involved a health care worker infection.
