In November the rate of new infections in Liberia appeared to be declining. The drop in cases was believed to be related to an integrated strategy combining isolation and treatment with community behaviour change including safe burial practices, case finding and contact tracing . On 13 November, the Liberian president announced the lifting of the state of emergency in the country following the decrease in the number of new cases. On 15 December, Liberia started treating patients with serum therapy; as one medical source said, "this will empower local health care systems to become more self-sufficient and better serve their patients during this current epidemic." On December 29, it was reported that dozens of new cases are developing along the border with Sierra Leone.