Release of Final Patient Initiates the Countdown for Declaring Sierra Leone Ebola-Free

Adama Sankoh, who contracted Ebola after her son died from the disease late last month was discharged from Mateneh Ebola treatment center outskirt of Freetown in Sierra Leone.

The 40-year-old woman was released by the health authorities in Sierra Leone. It is a milestone that allows the nation to begin a 42-day countdown to being declared free of the Ebola virus. The deadly virus has killed nearly 4,000 people in Sierra Leone.

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President Ernest Bai Koroma presented a certificate of discharge to Adama Sankoh and said, "The Ebola fight is not yet over — go and tell members of your community that. Go back to your community and continue to live life as you used to."

While leaving the Ebola treatment center in Mateneh village on the outskirts of Makeni, she thanked everyone who took care of her during the illness. Her 23-year-old son had contracted Ebola in free town before traveling to his village.

"Although my child died of Ebola I am very happy that I have survived today," she said upon leaving the Ebola treatment center.

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The World Health Organization said Sierra Leone can be declared Ebola-free 42 days after the last confirmed case has tested negative twice for the virus.

In May, World Health Organization declared Liberia as Ebola-free and now it will take 42 days for Sierra Leone to reach that benchmark. Then Guinea alone will be left with the disease where more than 11,200 people died since late 2013.

Source-Medindia

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