Both outbreaks were geographically far apart, and genetic index analysis confirmed that they were not related.
Some sites with high levels of infection were only accessible by boat or helicopter, which complicates the transport and testing of lab samples, and delays by specialists in the affected areas.
Health workers tried to counter this fear by visiting local communities to increase their understanding of the virus. Local health workers and WHO experts visited more than 574,000 homes, and vaccinated more than 40,000 people at high risk.
At the time, they had to comply with Covid-19 restrictions and precautions such as wearing protective gear.
The WHO said it used the new cold chain freezer storage to keep the Ebola vaccine at extremely low temperatures for up to a week, allowing respondents to vaccinate people in communities without electricity.
“Getting out of the world’s most dangerous pathogens in the remote and difficult to reach communities shows what is possible when science and unity can be found,” Moti said.
“Facing Ebola in parallel to Covid-19 is not easy, but many of the skills we have created in one disease are being transferred to another and demonstrate the importance of investing in emergency preparedness and building local capacity.”
Virus
Ebola first appeared in Sudan and the DRC in 1976, and was named after a river in a later nation. It is one of the most viral diseases in the world and is spread by direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids of infected people.
Ebola causes fever, severe headaches and in some cases hemorrhaging. It is spread through direct contact with body fluids or contaminated objects by someone sick with the disease. In some cases, the virus is spread through contact with a person who has died from the disease.
The virus enters the body through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth. It is also spread through sexual contact.
Although the WHO celebrated the end of the Equatorial Outbreak, it also warned that there was a risk that the virus could re-emerge; The virus can remain in the body fluids of survivors for months, and it is present in animals throughout the region.
“When the 11th erupts, there is a need for constant vigilance and strong surveillance as potential flare-ups are possible in the coming months,” the organization said in a news release. “The end of this outbreak serves as a reminder that governments and partners must continue to focus on other crises, as well as the fight against Covid-19 continues.”
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