Ebola outbreak kills 65 people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo | Global development
According to African health officials, 65 people have died due to the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
So far, 246 suspected cases of fatal hemorrhagic fever have been reported. clash striker Ituri province shares borders with Uganda and South Sudan.
Officials at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said they were concerned about the risk of further spread of the disease. The region is home to mining towns where people come and go constantly, making it difficult to control infectious diseases.
Ebola a serious illness It has a high mortality rate, spread through bodily fluids such as blood or vomit of infected people or through direct contact with dead bodies during funeral preparations.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s national research laboratory detected the Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples tested, the Africa CDC said Friday.
There have been 16 Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the virus was identified in 1976.
They typically have the Zaire strain of Ebola for which vaccines are available. But, DRC health officials said: The samples tested were from the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no licensed vaccine. There have been only two previous outbreaks of Bundibugyo virus, in 2007 and 2012.
The Africa CDC said it would hold an emergency meeting on Friday with officials from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, as well as the World Health Organization and pharmaceutical companies.
Africa CDC director general Dr. “Africa CDC stands in solidarity with the government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo as they respond to this outbreak,” said Jean Kaseya. “Given the high population movement between affected areas and neighboring countries, rapid regional coordination is vital.”
While cases were mostly reported in Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, suspected cases were also reported in neighboring Bunia.
Dr D., a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton in the UK. Michael Head said: “Deaths from Ebola occur frequently in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is likely that there is a perfect storm of factors causing these regular outbreaks. Close contact of humans with animal reservoirs, most likely including bats and possibly primates, is one factor. Other concerns include the movement of people between rural and urban environments, the tropical climate and the high extent of rainforest.”
during 2014–16 epidemic in West Africa There were an estimated 28,000 cases and 11,000 deaths.
