The World Health Organization on Friday declared the Ebola outbreak in Senegal over and congratulated the country on “its diligence to end the transmission of the virus.”
The West African country faced Ebola when a man who previously had contact with an infected person in Guinea traveled by road to the coastal city of Dakar.
The government identified 74 close contacts of the patient, promptly tested suspected cases, and beefed up surveillance at the nation’s main entry points. It also launched a public awareness campaign.
“Senegal’s response is a good example of what to do when faced with an imported case of Ebola,” WHO said in a press statement.
Test samples from the patient tested negative on Sept. 5, which meant he had recovered from his bout with the virus, and he went back to Guinea on Sept. 18, according to WHO.
The country actively looked for cases for 42 days, or twice Ebola’s incubation period, to dig up any unreported cases.
“While the outbreak is now officially over, Senegal’s geographical position makes the country vulnerable to additional imported cases of Ebola virus disease,” the organization said. “It continues to remain vigilant for any suspected cases by strict compliance with WHO guidelines.”
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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