The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today said West Africa’s Ebola outbreak no longer constitutes an international public health threat, declaring that the 20-month global emergency response is over but stressing that a “high level of vigilance” must be maintained.

The Emergency Committee convened by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan concluded at its ninth meeting that the Ebola situation in West Africa no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern and that the temporary recommendations adopted in response should now be terminated.

“I have accepted the Committee’s advice,” Ms. Chan said, noting however that a high level of vigilance and response capacity must be maintained to ensure the ability of the countries to prevent Ebola infections and to rapidly detect and respond to flare-ups in the future.

Each of the recent flare-ups was immediately and effectively contained.

“Ebola response capacity in West Africa is strong,” she said, stressing that the three most-affected countries – Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone – now have the world’s largest pool of expertise in responding to Ebola.

[Source: All Africa]