DR Congo Declares New Ebola Outbreak
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has confirmed its 16th Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Kasai province, where 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four health workers, have been reported.
The index case is a 34-year-old pregnant woman admitted to the hospital with symptoms including high fever and repeated vomiting. Samples tested at the country’s National Institute of Biomedical Research confirmed the cause of the outbreak as Ebola Zaire caused by Ebola virus disease.
This will be the 16th outbreak of the deadly virus in the country that has poor health services, and is hit by conflict in the east. In Kasai province, previous outbreaks of Ebola virus disease were reported in 2007 and 2008. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was “acting with determination to rapidly halt the spread of the virus and protect communities”.
