The death toll from an Ebola outbreak in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 14 and the crisis is not yet under control, medical officials say.
The epicentre of the outbreak, which killed its first victim last month, is in the busy town of Isiro in Orientale Province, but it has spread to the settlement of Viadana 75 km (45 miles) away, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a statement.
WHO also called for aid of nearly $2 million to help Congo’s weakened health sector cope with the disease.
Last month officials confirmed that the epidemic was a different strain from the one that killed at least 36 people in neighbouring Uganda, and had likely been sparked by locals eating infected meat in the forest.
The World Health Organization has registered 30 suspected cases of the deadly Ebola virus in Congo in an outbreak that comes on the heels of one in neighbouring Uganda. It says 14 people have died.
The WHO said in a statement that as of Sept. 1, they had counted 30 cases in Isiro, located northeast of Kisangani. Another 169 people have come into contact with infected patients and are under surveillance. Of these cases, only seven tested positive for Ebola after laboratory tests.
“A week ago we were a bit optimistic ... but a few days later we got some more cases ... We have quite a clear picture of what is happening, but I cannot say it is under control,” Anja de Weggheleire, medical coordinator in the area for the charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), said.
With the last confirmed case on Saturday, the end of the epidemic remains a long way off, de Weggheleire said.
The outbreak in July in Uganda killed 16. Ugandan health officials say the outbreak there is under control, but they have yet to declare the country free of Ebola.
Ebola is transmitted to humans from monkeys and birds and causes massive bleeding in victims. Mortality rates can be as high as 90%.
- Times Live
No comments:
Post a Comment