Highlights

• The WHO reports a total of 21,179 cases (suspected, probable, and confirmed) and 8,377 deaths in the four currently affected countries in West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Mali).

• The three most affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) are reporting new cases distributed very unevenly across districts. Sierra Leone remains the most affected country, although the number of new cases per week (N=248 this week) has been declining slightly over the past four weeks. In Liberia, the number of new cases has been decreasing nationwide since mid-November. In Guinea, the situation remains volatile, with 74 new cases reported this week (over the past 9 weeks, 75 to 156 new confirmed cases per week were reported). Transmission remains active in the three capitals: Conakry, Freetown, and Monrovia.

• In Mali, where local transmission has been reported for the past six weeks in the capital, Bamako, the toll remains unchanged at 8 cases and 6 deaths. No new cases have been reported since November 25. The religious festival of Maouloud, which began on January 3, ended on January 10 without any cases being reported.

• In the United Kingdom, the first case was confirmed on December 29 in a healthcare worker returning from Sierra Leone. All contacts have been identified, and none were considered high-risk.