Friday, 29 March, 2024
HomeWeekly RoundupOptimism that the DRC is winning battle against Ebola

Optimism that the DRC is winning battle against Ebola

After years of battling one of the most deadly Ebola virus outbreaks in the world in the Democratic Republic of Congo, second only to the West African epidemic of 2013-2016, health workers are optimistic the disease, which has ravaged the country's north-east, will soon be history. IoL reports that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the last Ebola patient in the country has been discharged from a treatment centre in the north-eastern town of Beni. With no more confirmed cases, a 42-day countdown towards declaring the end of the world’s second-deadliest Ebola epidemic had started on Monday of last week, the UN agency said. Although the patient had been allowed to leave, 46 people who had come in contact with her were still being monitored.

From 24 February to 1 March, no new confirmed cases of the Ebola virus disease were reported in the country. In the past 21 days, 10 February to 1 March, the outbreak has been confined to a relatively small geographic area, the WHO's latest report says. During this period, two new confirmed cases were reported from one health area in Beni Health Zone, North Kivu Province.

It has been more than 42 days since new cases were detected in all health zones except Beni and Mabalako, though surveillance activities are ongoing in all health zones to avoid resurgence of the outbreak.

"I applaud the tireless efforts that have been made to respond to this outbreak and I’m truly encouraged by the news that the last Ebola patient has left the treatment centre healthy," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa. "It is not yet the end of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We must stay vigilant in the coming weeks and beyond. There are currently zero cases of Ebola in DRC after over a year of fighting this outbreak. So proud of all involved in the response. We are hopeful, yet cautiously optimistic that we will soon bring this outbreak to an end," she said on Twitter.

[link url="https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/deadly-ebola-virus-contained-in-drc-as-last-patient-is-released-44109618"]Full IoL report[/link]

MedicalBrief — our free weekly e-newsletter

We'd appreciate as much information as possible, however only an email address is required.