The Ebola epidemic in West Africa began in December 2013 in the village of Meliandou, Guinea, when a two-year-old child was infected after playing in a tree inhabited by bats. The virus spread rapidly to his family and then to healthcare workers, but the initial cases were misidentified: authorities initially suspected cholera, delaying the detection of the Ebola virus.

Between January and March 2014, the disease spread silently through southeastern Guinea, then reached Gueckédou, Macenta, Nzérékoré, and Kissidougou. In March, the Lyon laboratory confirmed that it was a new strain of Ebolavirus Zaire. On March 23, 2014, the WHO officially declared an epidemic: there were already 49 cases and 29 deaths. The situation is worsening, exacerbated by public mistrust, attacks against humanitarian workers, and population movements that are reactivating transmission in stabilized areas.

Liberia

The virus crossed the border on March 30, 2014. In Monrovia, the epidemic exploded due to a very fragile healthcare system and a lack of protective equipment. Many healthcare workers were infected. At the urging of the country's president, strict measures were implemented: mandatory cremation, quarantines, and travel restrictions. With international support, treatment centers and mobile laboratories were established. By the end of 2014, the situation began to improve in Monrovia, but the virus continued to circulate in rural areas.

Sierra Leone

The epidemic began in May 2014, at the funeral of a traditional healer. The districts of Kailahun and Kenema became epicenters, exacerbated by outdated hospitals and a lack of protective equipment for healthcare workers. Doctors Without Borders opened treatment centers, which were quickly overwhelmed. Public mistrust and weaknesses in epidemiological surveillance facilitated the spread. Starting in September, the virus spread to the capital, Freetown, with hundreds of new cases each week. The WHO established community-based care centers and launched Operation Western Area Surge, which restored confidence and improved case reporting.

Regional Spread

A few cases also occurred in Nigeria, Mali, and Senegal, but these were generally brought under control quickly. By January 7, 2015, more than 20,000 cases and 8,000 deaths had been recorded in the three major affected countries. Thanks to the combined efforts of the WHO, the countries concerned, and international aid (isolation, contact tracing, treatment centers, and enhanced diagnostic capabilities), transmission gradually declined. On March 30, 2016, the WHO declared the end of the epidemic, although a few sporadic cases persisted due to the prolonged survival of the virus in the bodily fluids of some survivors, particularly in semen.