Ebola Hits 8th Congo Province as Cases Top 9,400, Deaths 4,536
(MENAFN) The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached an eighth province, health authorities said Sunday, as the country battles the worst epidemic in its recorded history.
The Health Ministry said North Ubangi in northwestern Congo is now affected, with two confirmed cases, one of them fatal, in an area bordering the Central African Republic. Both patients are men in their 20s from the Wapinda health zone, which adjoins Bas-Uele province.
Until last week, the disease, caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, had been limited to seven provinces: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo and South-Ubangi.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said transmission remains highly uneven across the affected regions. Ituri is still the principal hotspot, while substantial transmission continues in North Kivu and Haut-Uele.
Official figures now show more than 9,400 confirmed cases in Congo, including 4,536 deaths, since the outbreak was declared in May.
Community resistance remains a major obstacle, and many deaths are occurring in communities rather than in treatment facilities. The WHO said roughly two-thirds of deaths take place at home.
On Sunday, WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Yakub Janabi stressed the role of local leaders in fostering trust, community ownership and collective action.
The outbreak is the largest and deadliest ever recorded in Congo and the second-largest Ebola outbreak worldwide, behind the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa.
Elsewhere, Kenya’s Health Ministry confirmed one new Ebola case on Sunday, raising the number of positive cases to eight this month.
Health authorities urged heightened vigilance to prevent further cross-border spread.
The Health Ministry said North Ubangi in northwestern Congo is now affected, with two confirmed cases, one of them fatal, in an area bordering the Central African Republic. Both patients are men in their 20s from the Wapinda health zone, which adjoins Bas-Uele province.
Until last week, the disease, caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, had been limited to seven provinces: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo and South-Ubangi.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said transmission remains highly uneven across the affected regions. Ituri is still the principal hotspot, while substantial transmission continues in North Kivu and Haut-Uele.
Official figures now show more than 9,400 confirmed cases in Congo, including 4,536 deaths, since the outbreak was declared in May.
Community resistance remains a major obstacle, and many deaths are occurring in communities rather than in treatment facilities. The WHO said roughly two-thirds of deaths take place at home.
On Sunday, WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Yakub Janabi stressed the role of local leaders in fostering trust, community ownership and collective action.
The outbreak is the largest and deadliest ever recorded in Congo and the second-largest Ebola outbreak worldwide, behind the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa.
Elsewhere, Kenya’s Health Ministry confirmed one new Ebola case on Sunday, raising the number of positive cases to eight this month.
Health authorities urged heightened vigilance to prevent further cross-border spread.
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