New Ebola case numbers appear to be declining in Liberia and stabilizing in Guinea, according to a report from the World Health Organization.
Only 89 new cases were reported in Liberia in the past week, considerably lower than in August and September when upward of 400 new cases were being reported weekly, the WHO reported, although data for Liberia are missing for Nov. 1 and 2. Guinea reported 93 new cases last week, slightly down from a peak in September and October; with the region of Gueckedou, the starting point of the epidemic, reporting no new cases.
Because of a change in the use of data sources, the number of cases and deaths is less than last week, the WHO explained, with just over 13,000 reported cases and about 4,800 deaths. Liberia has reported more than 6,500 cases and just under 2,700 deaths. Guinea has reported more than 1,700 cases and more than 1,000 deaths. Sierra Leone has more than 4,750 reported cases, but less than 1,100 deaths, only about 30 more than in Guinea. The reason for this is unclear, the report noted.
There have been no new reported cases of Ebola outside the outbreak area of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Mali and the United States continue to monitor potential contacts, while all contacts in Spain have completed a 21-day follow-up. Spain will be declared Ebola free 42 days from Oct. 21, the WHO reported. The unrelated Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo also appears to be over, and the country should be declared Ebola free by the end of November.
