Congo faces new outbreak of Ebola

According to the Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Democratic Republic of Congooutbreak Ebola starting from the end of April in the northwestern province of Equateur and as of May 21, 5 cases have been confirmed. And to date, all 5 of these Ebola cases have died

So far, 234 people who came into contact with Ebola patients have been identified and are being monitored, while more than 1,000 people including frontline workers have been vaccinated.

The first patient of this outbreak is a 31-year-old male, who started showing symptoms on April 5 after more than a week of home treatment. On April 21, this patient was admitted to intensive care at an Ebola treatment center, but died the next day.

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the 14th since 1976 and the sixth since 2018, the most frequent outbreak in the country’s Ebola history. Previous outbreaks in Equateur province occurred in 2018 and 2020 with 54 and 130 cases, respectively.

Vaccination against Ebola in the Congo. (Photo: AP)

In December 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo announced that the 13th Ebola outbreak had ended, with 8 cases and 3 suspected cases, including 6 deaths, in North Kivu province, northeast of this country.

In April 2022, the Africa Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that on April 27, Congo began an Ebola vaccination campaign in Mbandaka, a city in the Northwest region. The country, where a new Ebola outbreak has killed two people since April 21.

Over the years, the country has gained expertise at the local level with the ability to establish an effective response to the Ebola outbreak.

WHO Regional Director, Matshidiso Moeti, said that with an effective vaccine in hand and the experience of medical staff, Congo can now better control this new outbreak.

* Invite readers to watch programs broadcast by Vietnam Television on TV Online and VTVGo!