WHO: Ebola outbreak over in Western Africa

Baku. 14 January. REPORT.AZ/ The two-year Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people across west Africa and triggered a global health scare is to be declared over Thursday, with Liberia the last country expecting the all-clear, Report informs referring to the Russian RIA Novosti.

The worst outbreak of the tropical virus in history has wrecked the economies and health systems of the three worst-hit nations since it emerged in southern Guinea in December 2013.

At its peak, it devastated Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with bodies piling up in the streets and overwhelmed hospitals recording hundreds of new cases a week.

The World Health Organization said Thursday's announcement in Geneva would "mark 42 days since the last Ebola cases in Liberia were tested negative."

The organization has formally announced the end of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, joining Sierra Leone and Guinea - the epicenters of the latest outbreak - as Ebola-free.

WHO director Rick Brennan, director emergency risk assessment and humanitarian response, said Thursday was “a good day, an important day” thanks to the announcement.

Brennan noted a “general acknowledgment” that WHO was slow to react at the start of the outbreak, which has left some 11,000 people dead.