Ebola cases rise in Congo
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Congo's Ebola outbreak has resulted in over 100 deaths from 550 confirmed cases, with challenges in response efforts due to conflict and local skepticism.
GOMA, June 9 (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday said confirmed Ebola cases had climbed to nearly 600, raising awareness within the local population about the importance of safety measures.
A new Ebola outbreak in a remote province in Congo has caused 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases so far, Africa CDC says.
Authorities have raced to slow the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo with strict measures, including by limiting public gatherings and enforcing social distancing.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda could lead to more than 20,000 cases and over 2,000 deaths in a worst-case scenario, according to a CDC report.
Congo’s Ebola outbreak “had a big head start, and we’re still behind,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday, but asserted that “we are catching up” as testing improves.
The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, after officials identified more than 250 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths linked to the disease.
In one worst-case scenario projected, more than 20,000 cases would occur within three months if only 1 in 5 infected people are identified and isolated within two days.
The second-biggest outbreak of Ebola in history took place in Congo’s North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces, with some cases in neighboring Uganda between 2018-2020.