Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo Claims More Than Five Thousand Lives
(MENAFN) The death toll from the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has exceeded 5,000, while the country continues to confront its most severe outbreak on record, according to the latest health authorities' update released Saturday.
The cumulative number of confirmed and reported infections has climbed to 10,351 since the outbreak was officially declared in mid-May, the latest figures showed.
The epidemic has spread across eight provinces, affecting Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, South Ubangi and North Ubangi.
The current outbreak represents the largest and deadliest Ebola epidemic ever documented in Congo and ranks as the second-largest worldwide, following the devastating West African outbreak between 2014 and 2016.
Meanwhile, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged authorities to strengthen protection for frontline medical personnel after two young Congolese doctors died from the disease earlier this week in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Health officials have identified persistent shortcomings in early diagnosis and the tracking of individuals exposed to infected patients as major challenges in containing the ongoing transmission.
According to authorities, only approximately 12% of confirmed infections have been traced to contacts already identified by health teams, while a significant number of fatalities have occurred within local communities.
The cumulative number of confirmed and reported infections has climbed to 10,351 since the outbreak was officially declared in mid-May, the latest figures showed.
The epidemic has spread across eight provinces, affecting Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, South Ubangi and North Ubangi.
The current outbreak represents the largest and deadliest Ebola epidemic ever documented in Congo and ranks as the second-largest worldwide, following the devastating West African outbreak between 2014 and 2016.
Meanwhile, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged authorities to strengthen protection for frontline medical personnel after two young Congolese doctors died from the disease earlier this week in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Health officials have identified persistent shortcomings in early diagnosis and the tracking of individuals exposed to infected patients as major challenges in containing the ongoing transmission.
According to authorities, only approximately 12% of confirmed infections have been traced to contacts already identified by health teams, while a significant number of fatalities have occurred within local communities.
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