WHO confirms new Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Aug. 23 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a new Ebola outbreak in the Congolese region of North Kivu, in the east of the African country, after the worst forecasts have been confirmed for the case that was cataloged last week. as a suspect.

The case is that of a 46-year-old woman who died on August 15 in the city of Beni. Although she initially received medical attention for other ailments, she ended up presenting symptoms compatible with the Ebola virus.

The analyzes carried out on the patient confirmed the presence of the virus and the genetic analyzes link her contagion with the largest Ebola outbreak suffered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which caused more than 2,200 deaths between 2018 and 2020.

The person in charge of the WHO for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, sees “worrying” this type of resurgence, which is “occurring more and more frequently.” However, she trusts that the experience of authorities and communities will serve to “quickly” contain the new outbreak.

Local staff, in collaboration with the WHO, have already identified some 160 contacts of patient zero and the first 200 doses of the Ebola vaccine will arrive in Beni this week.