from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
DRC Bureau
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – THERE is hope the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is eliminating the latest outbreak of Ebola.
Since September 19, no new cases have been reported in the northwestern Equateur province, where the eleventh outbreak of the deadly virus disease erupted in June.
“This trend is encouraging,” said a health spokesperson.
However, the response teams still remain vigilant.
“They continue to step up efforts to strengthen community-based surveillance, and thus improve the reporting of alerts.”
The success of the response is attributed to vaccination campaigns.
Some 33 000 people have been vaccinated since the latest outbreak was declared.
This has restricted the death toll to 50 from 124 cases.
Ebola outbreaks are prevalent in DRC, formerly known as Zaire.
It experienced its first eruption in 1976.
The last outbreak, which erupted in 2018 and ended earlier this year, left more than 2 200 people dead.
It was the second-worst globally after 11 000 people died from the virus in West Africa from 2013-2016.
The current crisis comes as DRC battles the world’s worst-ever measles scourge. More than 6 000 people, mostly children, have died.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) has killed 271 people from 10 600 cases.
– CAJ News