Slashdot Mirror
WHO Declares Liberian Ebola Outbreak Over
The Washington Post reports that after 42 days with no new cases of Ebola infection in Liberia, the World Health Organization has declared over the outbreak which killed more than 4,000 people in that country; 42 days means twice the known maximum incubation period for the disease, though scientists' understanding of the virus's persistence continues to evolve. From the WHO's statement: Health officials have maintained a high level of vigilance for new cases. During April, the country’s 5 dedicated Ebola laboratories tested around 300 samples every week. All test results were negative.
While WHO is confident that Liberia has interrupted transmission, outbreaks persist in neighbouring Guinea and Sierra Leone, creating a high risk that infected people may cross into Liberia over the region’s exceptionally porous borders.
While WHO is confident that Liberia has interrupted transmission, outbreaks persist in neighbouring Guinea and Sierra Leone, creating a high risk that infected people may cross into Liberia over the region’s exceptionally porous borders.
That's really great news for Liberia. Thanks are due to all of the brave Liberians who worked tirelessly to control and treat this outbreak.
The end of the Ebola Outbreak is in the eye of the beholder.
According to the USA media, this hasn't been an issue since November 4th. Up until then, it was a huge panic that was an imminent threat the the United States. Then the threat passed, and we went back to ignoring it with the rest of Africa.
Its okay, the disease can't be transmitted as long as we avoid direct eye contact.
Is it time to back to the previous slashdot threads and find all the predictions idiots were making of the majority of humanity being wiped out, the disease becoming entrenched in the US and taking out huge chunks of our population, and so on?
Because those were all over the place.
Not that the epidemic was anything very pleasant mind you. But some people were just off their rocker.