Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea

Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, Guinea, 2021

On 14 February 2021, an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak was declared in the rural area of Gouécké in the N'zérékoré region, Guinea, by national health authorities. Just over four months later, on 19 June 2021, the outbreak was declared over. This outbreak resulted in 23 EVD cases (16 confirmed and seven probable), including 12 deaths.

Based on molecular studies, the virus re-emerged from a persistently infected person after a long period of latency (5 to 7 years) from the 2013–2016 outbreak, the largest EVD outbreak ever recorded, in which Guinea was one of the three most-affected countries. Nevertheless, importation via travellers from an Ebola virus-endemic country or a spill-over event from animal reservoirs cannot be completely ruled out as potential sources of the outbreak (see the Threat Assessment Brief, published on 22 February 2021, for more information).