33 feared dead in fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as officials get set to begin a mass vaccination campaign
Officials in the African nation have only confirmed 3 deaths so far through tests
But they believe the lethal virus is responsible for scores more in the country
A mass vaccination campaign will begin this week to stem the latest outbreak
By STEPHEN MATTHEWS
DAILYMAIL.COM
6 August 2018
A fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is feared to have killed at least 33 people.
Officials in the African nation have confirmed three deaths so far but believe the virus – considered one of the most lethal pathogens in existence – is responsible for scores more.
A mass vaccination campaign will begin this week to stem the outbreak, which comes two weeks after the DRC declared the end of another one, considered a ‘public health emergency’.
Virologists feared that outbreak was ‘reminiscent’ of the 2014 Ebola pandemic, which decimated West Africa and killed 11,000 people.
But the new outbreak in the East of the DRC is on track to dwarf the one that sparked international panic in earlier this summer in the North West.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed 13 cases of Ebola in North Kivu Province – which borders Uganda and Rwanda. Another 25 are probable.
A further five probable cases have been noted in Ituri Province – which also borders Uganda and shares a crossing with South Sudan.
Officials are currently testing 33 other suspected cases in the laboratory to either confirm or exclude EVD.
EVD, caused by the virus with its namesake, kills around 50 per cent of people it strikes – but there is no proven treatment available.
Three healthcare workers have been struck down by Ebola, of whom one has died.
The unsafe burial of a 65-year-old Ebola sufferer triggered the latest outbreak in the DRC, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
After she was buried members of her family began to display symptoms of the virus ‘and seven of them died’.
Most of the cases have been recorded in the district of Mangina, 18 miles (30km) west of the city of Beni.
But healthcare workers have been told they will have to navigate their response among more than 100 armed groups.
A WHO spokesperson said: ‘This is an active conflict zone. The major barrier will be safely accessing the affected population.’
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