Combined Monthly Ebola Operations Update
No 36
30 August 2016
Current epidemiological situation, country-specific information + Post-Ebola systems strengthening
The Ebola disease which started in March 2014 claimed a total of 28,616 lives in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and also resulted in significant losses. Two years after the largest ever outbreak of Ebola, the affected West African countries are moving towards recovery efforts to rebuild their livelihoods. Guinea declared an end to Ebola virus transmission on 1 June. On 9 June the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the most recent outbreak of EVD in Liberia.
Sierra Leone was severely afflicted by the epidemic along with the neighbouring countries of Guinea and previously Liberia. Having contained the last Ebola virus outbreak in March 2016, Sierra Leone has maintained heightened surveillance with testing of all reported deaths and prompt investigation and testing of all suspected cases.
The biggest outbreak of Ebola in human history is over, but a lot of work is still needed in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone for these countries to be able to fully recover. The ultimate goal of post-EVD recovery plans remains to re-establish the conditions for a quick return to a healthy society, with viable livelihoods, psychosocial well-being, economic growth, and overall human development. At the same time, the immediate priority is to end the epidemic, and address the adverse conditions that enabled a localized epidemic to escalate into a national crisis with regional and global ramifications.
IFRC continues to closely monitor the Ebola response key performance indicators of the phase 3 Ebola response framework. The objectives of these indicators are to interrupt all chains of transmission, prevent new infections, detect timely and respond rapidly.