Ebola

The 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa was the largest Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered in 1976. This was the seventh outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease since its discovery. There were more cases and deaths in this outbreak than all others combined. It started in Guinea then quickly spread to neighbouring countries Sierra Leone and Liberia. By July 2014, it had reached the capital cities of these three countries and in August 2014, WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Over the course of the epidemic, the disease spread to 7 additional countries: Italy, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America (USA). Secondary infections occurred in Italy, Mali, Nigeria and USA.

In June 2016, the outbreak was declared over. More than 28 600 people had been infected and 11 325 people had died.

Disease outbreak news - start of the outbreak