The World Health Organisation has declared the African nation of Guinea free of Ebola, a major milestone in the fight against the world's worst outbreak of the disease.
The announcement was made at a ceremony in the capital Conakry, where people greeted the news with mixed emotions.
Abbie O'Brien reports.
After more than 3,800 cases of Ebola in Guinea, a baby girl has been the last person in the country confirmed with the virus.
And now, just six weeks after testing positive, she has been declared free of Ebola.
The infant, named Nubia, has become the symbol of the end of the epidemic in the west African nation.
A World Health Organisation representative, Mohamed Belhocine, says the girl represents the demise of Ebola in Guinea.
(Translated) "The small heroic body of this little girl has defeated the disease, helped by the administered treatment and thanks to a devoted and professional team. The criteria put in place by the World Health Organisation to declare the end of all known Ebola virus transmissions in Guinea are met. The Ebola virus epidemic is over."
It is a landmark on the road to the end of the worst outbreak of the virus in history.
That outbreak began in Gueckedou, eastern Guinea, two years ago before spreading to Liberia, Sierra Leone and seven other countries.
It has killed more than 11,000 people.
2,500 of those deaths have been in Guinea.
But now the country has been declared free of the virus, hope for the country itself has been restored.
That sentiment has been echoed by a Guinean resident, Mamady Traore.
(Translated) "Never has an epidemic disease caused more damage than Ebola. If the government and foreign partners succeeded in beating this disease, I can only thank God. Now that it is done, it is a very good thing that gives us hope."
Considering the deaths and the toll the virus has taken on the economy and the country's health and education sectors, many Guineans greeted the declaration with mixed emotions.
In the nation's capital Conakry, some like Seydouba Compo expressed concern there could be flare ups of the virus.
(Translated)"I am proud and happy about the end of Ebola in Guinea, and I hope all Guineans are happy about that. But the most important for me, what I want to say to Guineans, is to always keep in mind the security measures put in place for health in order to protect ourselves."
Guinea will now enter a 90-day period of heightened surveillance.
Another World Health Organisation representative, Bruce Aylward, says the country must continue to take careful precautions.
"We have to be very clear that, although today is an important milestone, it's only a milestone, it is not the end of the Ebola response in West Africa. Because, what we have learned is, while we've stopped the original chains of transmission, we're also seeing small flares, one or two, three cases occurring."
The World Health Organisation says there have been more than 28,000 Ebola cases globally.
Almost all the cases and deaths were in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone officially ended its epidemic in November, leaving only Liberia.
But Liberia is predicted to be declared virus-free in January.
