Mali declared Ebola-free

Following a period of 42 days with no occurrence of Ebola, Mali has been declared free of the disease.

The declaration was made by the Health Minister of the West African country, Ousmane Koné.

“I declare on this day, Jan. 18, 2015, the end of the end of the Ebola epidemic in Mali,” Koné said in a statement.

Mali recorded its first Ebola case after a toddler from Guinea arrived in the country in October. Six people died of the disease in Mali before it was eventually contained.