15 dead as Congo confirms new Ebola outbreak

At least 15 people have died following a fresh outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The country’s health ministry yesterday said the outbreak was detected in central Kasai province, with 28 suspected cases recorded so far.

The ministry said tests confirmed the presence of the Zaire strain of the virus after a 34-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to hospital on August 20 with high fever and repeated vomiting.

She was said to have died hours later from multiple organ failure. Four health workers are among the fatalities.

The World Health Organization, WHO, said the number of cases is likely to rise as transmission is ongoing. The health body said it is sending two tons of supplies, including mobile laboratory equipment and medical materials, to support the response effort.

“Response teams and local teams will work to find the people who may be infected and need to receive care, to ensure everyone is protected as quickly as possible,” WHO said in a statement.

The WHO added that Congo had a “stockpile of treatments”, including 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, “effective to protect against this type of Ebola”.

Ebola, a deadly disease believed to have originated in fruit bats, was first detected in 1976 near the Ebola River in DRC. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.

The last outbreak in Congo was recorded three years ago and killed six people. A previous epidemic between 2018 and 2020 claimed more than 2,000 lives.

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