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Only two Ebola cases reported in past week, but risks remain: WHO

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REUTERS  by Stephanie Nebehay                           Aug. 4, 2015

Guinea and Sierra Leone each recorded a single cases of Ebola in the past week, putting a year-end goal of ending the deadly epidemic within reach, although risks remain, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Tight surveillance and tracing contacts of infected people remain crucial, WHO Assistant-Director Bruce Aylward said. They are especially challenging during the heavy rains in August.

In the previous week to July 26, the two countries had seven confirmed cases, which was the lowest in the past year up until then, according to the WHO.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/04/us-health-ebola-who-idUSKCN0Q91JM20150804

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WHO Official sounds cautious note: Additional quotes from Bruce Aylward

WORLD PRESS TRUST OF INDIA        Aug  5, 2015
Geneva:  ... That progress is real," said Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director General of WHO.

"There are still substantive risks. The biggest risk now is irrational exuberance, to quote a famous economist or unrealistic expectations. There are people thinking that 'oh, great, it's gone from 30 to 25 to seven to two. It will go to one and zero. It won't," Mr Aylward said....

"It is very, very clear that we are moving to a new phase of the Ebola response - what we are calling phase 3," he said.

"In phase three, we are looking at two big efforts: first is to define and stop the remaining transmission chains. And the second part looking forward is that we manage any residual associated with the risk of re-emergence of the disease and to deal with the care and support of survivors and for that we are looking through 2016," he stated.

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http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ebola-response-enters-third-phase-cases-may-rise-again-who-1204230

WHO - Ebola Situation Report - 5 August 2015
http://apps.who.int/ebola/current-situation/ebola-situation-report-5-august-2015

Global Ebola Response - Interagency Collaboration on Ebola - Situation Report - 5 August 2015 (3 page .PDF file)
https://ebolaresponse.un.org/sites/default/files/icebola-sitrep_05august2015_0.pdf

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