The United States congratulates the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Guinea on bringing these outbreaks to such a rapid conclusion. On June 19, the World Health Organization formally declared an end to the Ebola outbreak in the Republic of Guinea that was first declared on February 14, 2021. This declaration leaves the world without a recognized outbreak of Ebola for the first time in four months. This achievement by Guinea follows a similar declaration on May 3 ending the DRC’s outbreak first declared on February 7.
The United States provided over $4.5 million in support to national preparedness and response activities of both countries in addition to organizing a high-level event with regional and international leaders and providing in-country epidemiologic and laboratory expertise, survivor care, surveillance, and overall infection prevention and control, building on capacities strengthened in past Ebola outbreaks and through the Global Health Security Agenda and its partnerships. Recognizing that both of these outbreaks resulted from either a relapsed infection or transmission from a survivor, these outbreaks highlight the need to remain vigilant and assure continued survivor support not only in Guinea and the DRC but surrounding nations as well.
The capabilities built and lessons learned from these outbreaks will empower the DRC, Guinea, neighboring countries, and the international community to generate even stronger responses to future disease outbreaks.