Local people are now at least receiving vaccines on a large scale for the first time with more than 95,000 getting a dose of the rVSV-Zebov vaccine from Merck laboratories.The Democratic Republic of Congo declared its tenth outbreak of Ebola in 40 years last August in northeastern North Kivu province before it spread into the neighbouring Ituri region.
The current outbreak is the second worst to date, the deadliest being a 2014 epidemic in West Africa which killed more than 10,000 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. “Since the start of the epidemic, overall cases are 1,117 — 1,051 confirmed and 66 probable. In total there are 702 deaths and 339 people who have recovered,” the ministry said, quoting data up to Thursday.The World Health Organization has warned that “the risk of national and regional spread remains very high” and said dealing with the epidemic could take another six months.
Poor security owing to the presence of several armed groups, coupled with resistance of some communities to seeking treatment, has hampered the fight to stem the spread of the disease. A recent study in the central Congolese cities of Beni and Butembo found only a third trusted local authorities to help them and more than a quarter believed Ebola does not exist.
Health Health Latest News, Health Health Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: LeadershipNGA - 🏆 4. / 77 Read more »
Source: vanguardngrnews - 🏆 5. / 75 Read more »