By Evelyn T. Kpadeh
MONROVIA
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday declared Liberia free of Ebola virus as no single case was registered in the West African country for the past 42 days.
"On behalf of the WHO, let me convey our heartfelt congratulations to the government and people of Liberia for the great success in fighting this virus," WHO representative Alex Gasasira said in an official ceremony in capital Monrovia.
"Liberia went through bitter days but today you can once again smile, the WHO is grateful," he said.
Ebola – a contagious disease for which there is no known treatment or cure – has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly in West Africa.
In Liberia alone, the virus has claimed at least 4,301 lives.
Liberian authorities have launched a massive health campaign to stem the epidemic, and the last Ebola case was registered in March 27.
"The criteria established by WHO has been met and the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in Liberia is over," Gasasira said.
Liberian Health Minister Walter Gwenigale, for his part, hailed the WHO move to declare his country Ebola-free.
"I can remember in March 2014 when it was very painful for me to call the president to inform her that we had Ebola in our country," Gwenigale said.
"I am today very pleased…to say that it is over for now," he added.
The minister, however, warned that Liberians must remain cautious as Ebola has not yet left the region as Guinea and Sierra Leone are still reporting cases of the virus.
