A study of the UN’s global health body confirms that the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo is now the second-biggest outbreak ever.

A total of 426 cases of the virus have now been reported in and around the town of Beni, taking the outbreak past that recorded in Uganda in 2000.

The current outbreak in eastern DR Congo began in July and is the 10th to hit the country since 1976.

Health workers hope that the first multi-drug Ebola treatment trial, announced by DR Congo’s health ministry on Monday, will help to contain this and future outbreaks.

Explaining the World Health Organization-backed initiative, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “randomised control trial” in DR Congo was a “giant step” that would “bring clarity about what works best, and save many lives in years to come”.

Insecurity in the east of the country has affected the Ebola response.

A deadly rebel attack in September forced health workers to halt vaccinations and the tracing of people who have been in contact with suspected Ebola patients.

The previous month, the WHO’s Peter Salama warned of such a “dreaded” scenario coming to pass.


https://businessvillage.com.ng/dr-congo-ebola-outbreak-now-second-largest-in-the-world/

Na wa ooo.. Na so central Africa take become haven for Ebola

Nbote:
Na wa ooo.. Na so central Africa take become haven for Ebola

What is ever more alarming is that it takes just two hours by air to reach the location of this latest Ebola outbreak.

Body temperature screening of travelers at Nigeria's airports must begin NOW, and NOT when the first cases of Ebola materialize in Lagos or Abuja.