WHO Declares Nigeria Ebola-Free
The World Health Organization has declared the West African country of Nigeria to be free of the Ebola virus.
The WHO made the announcement over the weekend, after the country was free of new Ebola cases for six weeks. The six-week quarantine period is twice as much as the incubation period for the Ebola virus.
"This is a spectacular success story that shows that Ebola can be contained," WHO representative Rui Gama Vaz said while speaking from Nigeria's capital of Abuja on Monday.
"Such a story can help the many other developing countries that are deeply worried by the prospect of an imported Ebola case," Gama Vaz continued. "Many wealthy countries, with outstanding health systems, may have something to learn as well."
Gama Vaz was clear in saying that although Nigeria has successfully defeated the virus, the battled against Ebola wages on in countries like Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, where the virus is still in full-force.
"The outbreak in Nigeria has been contained," Gama Vaz said. "But we must be clear that we only won a battle. The war will only end when West Africa is also declared free of Ebola."
Also over the weekend, health officials in Dallas, Texas announced that the 43 people who came into contact with Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan at Dallas Health Presbyterian Hospital have been declared free of Ebola symptoms after undergoing the 21-day quarantine, the same amount of days it takes the Ebola virus to incubate in the body.
