Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo results in 31 deaths; World Health Organization verifies 48 cases since its announcement earlier this month, marking the first occurrence in three years.
Breaking News: WHO Supports DRC in Fight Against Ebola Outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed 48 experts to aid the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in its response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The outbreak, first announced two weeks ago near the town of Bulape, has now spread to four districts, as reported by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The WHO, along with UNICEF, has provided medical equipment, hygiene items, vaccines, and expertise to combat the disease in the Kasai province.
Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever that was first discovered in Africa in the 1970s. It is mainly harbored in wild animals, particularly fruit bats, and can lead to body aches, diarrhea, fever, and impaired kidney and liver function. The disease can persist in survivors' bodies, sometimes re-emerging years later.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that vaccination efforts are underway for contacts, possible contacts, and front-line workers. Courses of the monoclonal antibody therapy Mab114 have been sent to treatment centers in Bulape, and 14 patients have received the drug. As of now, there are 48 "confirmed and probable cases" in the DRC, with 31 deaths reported this month.
More than 900 contacts have been identified, and health authorities are following up with them. On Tuesday, the first two patients to recover from Ebola were discharged, as revealed by Tedros. An Ebola treatment center with 18 beds has been set up by WHO and its partners in the DRC, with 16 patients currently being treated.
It is important to note that the WHO has not provided any information about the potential spread of Ebola outside of the DRC in this article. The dense tropical forests of the DRC serve as a natural reservoir for the Ebola virus.
Between 2014 and 2016, three countries in West Africa - Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone - experienced the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, with the disease killing more than 11,000. The current outbreak in the DRC marks the first in three years.
The WHO and its partners have delivered more than 14 tons of essential medical equipment and supplies to the DRC for the Ebola response. The organization continues to support the government's efforts to contain and eradicate the disease.
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