Liberia has been declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO), effectively putting an end to the world's worst outbreak of the disease.The "end of active transmission" was declared, after 42 days without a new case in Liberia.It joins Guinea and Sierra Leone, which earned the status last year.However, the WHO warned that West Africa may see flare-ups of the virus. It has killed more than 11,000 people since December 2013.'Most critical' monthsA country is considered free of human-to-human transmission once two 21-day incubation periods have passed since the last known case tested negative for a second time.WHO chief Margaret Chan said the end of the outbreak was a "monumental achievement"."This date marks the first time since the start of the epidemic two years ago that all three of the hardest-hit countries - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone - have reported zero cases for at least 42 days," she said in a statement.However, the end of active transmission of Ebola has been declared twice before in Liberia - only for the infection to re-emerge.This is why the declaration will be marked with caution, says BBC Africa's health correspondent Anne Soy.
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West Africa declared Ebola-free
The "end of active transmission" was declared, after 42 days without a new case in Liberia.
More than 28,000 people have been infected by Ebola in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone since December 2013
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Source: BBC
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