AlHijjah 23, 1435, Oct 17, 2014, SPA -- The outbreak of Ebola in Senegal is officially over, but the West African country remains vulnerable to further cases of the deadly disease being imported, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday. Forty-two days—twice the maximum incubation period of 21 days—has passed since a Guinean man who traveled to Dakar was confirmed as having Ebola, the U.N. health agency said in a statement. The man has recovered, and his 74 known contacts have not caught the disease. The WHO statement praised Senegalese authorities for their "diligence" and called the country's response "a good example of what to do when faced with an imported case of Ebola." It said the government identified and monitored the contacts of the patient, promptly tested all suspected cases, intensified surveillance at many entry points, and conducted public awareness campaigns. "While the outbreak is now officially over, Senegal's geographical position makes the country vulnerable to additional imported cases of Ebola virus disease. It continues to remain vigilant for any suspected cases by strict compliance with WHO guidelines," the U.N. agency said.
