Fresh Ebola outbreak declared after 15 deaths and 28 new cases
Authorities have declared an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after 15 people died and 28 new cases were recorded as of Thursday.
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The outbreak in the Kasai province has affected the Bulape and Mweka health zones, where health officials have been carrying out investigations after the cases and deaths reported presented with symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and haemorrhage.
A 34-year-old pregnant woman who was admitted to the hospital with symptoms including high fever and repeated vomiting last month is believed to be the first person to present with the case in this outbreak.
Ebola killed 11,323 people during the 2013-2016 epidemic of the virus in West Africa.
Testing has indicated that it is the Zaire strain of Ebola, and investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the outbreak.
"We’re acting with determination to rapidly halt the spread of the virus and protect communities," said Dr Mohamed Janabi, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa.
"Banking on the country’s long-standing expertise in controlling viral disease outbreaks, we’re working closely with the health authorities to quickly scale up key response measures to end the outbreak as soon as possible."
The WHO has said that case numbers are expected to keep rising as transmission is ongoing, but the international body has dispatched a rapid response team to Kasai to "strengthen disease surveillance, treatment and infection prevention and control in health facilities".
The last outbreak of Ebola in the DRC was in the north-western Equateur province in April 2022, and it was brought under control within three months.
This marks the 16th Ebola outbreak in the country since the disease was first identified in 1976.
Dr Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General, said: "Africa CDC stands firmly with the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"I have met with the Minister of Health to coordinate an urgent response, and we are taking strong measures to bring this outbreak under control — protecting communities and supporting the health workers on the frontlines."