New serious outbreak of Ebola in Congo where the virus has already infected at least 100 people and has already killed at least 43 in 11 areas: this was announced by the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Ghebreyesus, at the opening of his briefing today.
The outbreak, he said, is developing in 11 health districts in Equateur province and is spreading worryingly “invisibly” in communities, because on average there are at least 5 days between when symptoms arise and when symptoms are reported. case: a period of time that drastically reduces the possibility of individual recovery and which instead favors the “unseen” spread of the deadly virus in communities. The situation is also aggravated by a strike by Congo’s health workers, which is the most expert in the world against Ebola. The WHO then solicited a $ 40 million loan from the Congo government to support its emergency plan.
The outbreak, the eleventh in the Democratic Republic, was declared on June 1, 2020 in the province of the Equator. A group of cases was initially identified in Mbandaka, the provincial capital and since then the infections have spread to almost the entire province, causing the death of 43 people. The epidemic presents significant logistical challenges, including remote and densely wooded areas, difficulties in reaching affected populations, with rescuers and supplies often having to cross areas without roads.
“Today, with 100 cases of Ebola in less than 100 days, the epidemic in the province of the Equator is evolving worryingly,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa. «The virus – he concludes – is spreading over a wide and rough terrain that requires expensive interventions. And, with Covid-19 draining resources and attention, it is difficult to strengthen operations “. The end of the Ebola epidemic in northeastern Congo was announced in late June, after 3,500 infections and 2,280 deaths. Since the outbreak began, WHO has supported the ring vaccination of over 22,600 high-risk people and helped screen more than 640,000 people.
Last update: Friday 21 August 2020, 21:30
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED – .
