Ebola: Democratic Republic of Congo declares virus resurgence

In a statement released Tuesday 23 by the World Health Organization (WHO), health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced the reemergence of Ebola, one of the deadliest viruses in existence. highly contagious, Ebola disease kills more than 90 percent of its victimscauses panic in infected populations.

According to the WHO Africa website, a 46-year-old woman who had detected symptoms consistent with Ebola virus disease and sent samples to the country’s Beni and Goma branches died on 15 August at Beni Referral Hospital. Research (INRB).

In addition to confirming the presence of the virusAnalyzes revealed that the case was genetically linked to the Ebola outbreak that occurred in North Kivu and Ituri provinces between 2018 and 2020. In a statement, scientists point out that the virus can remain in the central nervous system and body fluids of survivors and then manifest itself.

What steps are being taken to contain the Ebola virus?

According to Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, the continued resurgence of Ebola resurgences in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is worrying. “However, North Kivu health officials managed to successfully prevent multiple Ebola outbreaks and based on that experience, this will undoubtedly be brought under control quickly,” says the South African doctor.

To contain the spread of the disease, WHO officials and health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have already identified 160 contacts of the deceased woman and are working together, including 60 closely monitored frontline health workers, 59 of whom have been vaccinated against the disease. .

The country currently has 1,000 doses of rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine in stock, 200 of which will be shipped to Beni this week, according to a government statement. The so-called public vaccination, in which contacts and contacts are vaccinated, will soon begin.