Ebola No Longer a Global Health Emergency, WHO Declares

People pass a “Stop Ebola” banner in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Friday. (Aurelie Marrier d’Unienville/AP)

Ebola is no longer considered an international health emergency, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

However, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said high vigilance for the deadly virus must be maintained in West Africa, the Asssociated Press reported.

Since the Ebola outbreak begain in December 2013, nearly 11,000 people have died, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

In all three countries, declarations of an end to Ebola virus transmission were followed by flare-ups of new cases. Officials say for one year after they recover, male survivors can transmit Ebola sexually to their partners, the AP reported.

SOURCE: WebMD News from HealthDay