BENI, Congo (AP) – A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in the northwestern equatorial province of Congo in the city of Mbandaka, Congolese health authorities said on Saturday, declaring an outbreak nearly four months after the end of the last in the Central African nation.
One case was confirmed in a 31-year-old man who began experiencing symptoms on April 5 and sought treatment at a health facility after being cared for at home for more than a week, the World Health Organization said. He was admitted to the Ebola Intensive Care Center on Thursday for intensive care, but died the same day.
“The weather is not on our side,” said Dr Matshidiso Moetti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “The disease is two weeks ahead and we are now playing catch-up. The good news is that health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have more experience than anyone else in the world in rapidly controlling Ebola outbreaks.
Congo has suffered 13 reported Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first detected in the conflict-affected country in 1976. It is the third in the Equatorial Province since 2018.
The WHO says the patient has received a safe and dignified burial and that efforts to stop the epidemic are under way. Authorities have begun testing and tracking contacts. Vaccinations will begin in the coming days, the WHO said.
“Many people in Mbandaka have already been vaccinated against Ebola, which should help reduce the impact of the disease,” Moetti said. “Everyone who was vaccinated during the 2020 epidemic will be revaccinated.
Ebola is transmitted by contact with body fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. However, the early symptoms of fever and muscle pain are similar to other common diseases such as malaria. In addition to vaccinations, there is now effective treatment that, if received in time, can significantly improve your chances of survival.
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Petesh reported from Dakar, Senegal.
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