Colombia declares an end to the nation’s Zika epidemic

The number of new Zika infections in Colombia is falling so fast that government health officials Monday declared an end to the outbreak, saying the epidemic phase of the virus’ spread was over.

Nearly 100,000 Colombians have been diagnosed with Zika since the first cases were confirmed last October. But Colombian health officials say the number of new infections in their country is falling by more than 600 a week, meaning the virus has moved into an “endemic” phase in which it circulates but is no longer spreading pervasively.

Only Brazil has reported more cases, but Colombia’s total is far below the projected 700,000 infections that health officials were bracing for.

Colombia is the first country in the world to declare an end to the Zika epidemic, officials said.