Ebola death toll rises to 55 in DR Congo

As per as the latest health ministry bulletin, the recent outbreak has killed 55 out of the 90 cases reported. On August 1, the first outbreak was recorded in the North Kivu province.

Editorial Team | Published: August 21, 2018 12:56 pm

In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the deadly Ebola outbreak has now claimed 55 lives since the beginning of August, according to the government. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) expects more cases.

According to the Business Day report, the death toll is continuously rising and thus, more than 2,000 people are scared to come in contact with the virus. In fact, the country is also facing displacement, political uncertainty and violence. As per as the latest health ministry bulletin, the recent outbreak has killed 55 out of the 90 cases reported. On August 1, the first outbreak was recorded in the North Kivu province.

The deaths happened due to haemorrhagic fever. 63 confirmed cases are verified through laboratory tests on samples taken from patients and 27 were probable cases. Most death cases like around 39 were recorded in the agricultural village of Mangina, 30km south-west of the city of Beni.

According to the health ministry, field teams also identified 2,157 “contacts” — people who may have been in contact with the virus.

WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic reportedly said from the UN agency’s Geneva headquarters that it “expects more cases”.

He also said, “We do not know if all the chains of transmission have been identified.”

Since 1976, the outbreak is the 10th to strike the DRC, when Ebola was first identified and named after a river in the north.

Ebola has been considered incurable for a long time. However, the rapid treatment of symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration have helped some patients to live.

During an Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,300 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2013-15, the quest for a vaccine became increasingly urgent.

Image Source: Shutterstock

Published: August 21, 2018 12:56 pm

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