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In The News

Last Ebola Patient Released from Liberia Hospital, Reports Say

USA Today
By Jane Onyanga-Omara,
March 05, 2015

(Click here to view the original article.)

The last Ebola patient in Liberia was released from a hospital Thursday, according to media reports.

Beatrice Yardolo, 58, was discharged from the Chinese-run treatment center in the Paynesville district of the capital Monrovia, the Associated Press reported.

Yardolo, an English teacher who was admitted on Feb. 18, told the agency she was "one of the happiest persons on earth today."

Her release is a significant step — Liberia can be declared Ebola free after 42 days if there are no new infections.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday said Liberia has gone a week without reporting any new cases, the first time since May 2014, but 132 new cases were identified in Guinea and Sierra Leone in the week leading up to March 1.

On Thursday, WHO announced a vaccine efficiency trial will be launched in Guinea on March 7.

Margaret Chan, the organization's director-general, said: "We have worked hard to reach this point. There has been massive mobilization on the part of the affected countries and all partners to accelerate the development and availability of proven interventions. If a vaccine is found effective, it will be the first preventive tool against Ebola in history."

Nearly 10,000 people have died since the outbreak began in December 2013