Ebola: 42 dead in DRC as cases rise to 64

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has killed 42 people out of 64 reported cases, according to the latest situation report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) African Region.

As of 28 September, 53 confirmed and 11 probable cases had been recorded in Bulape Health Zone, Kasai Province, with a case fatality ratio of 65.6 per cent.

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According to the WHO, the outbreak remains confined to six of the 21 health areas in the zone, adding that five healthcare workers are among those infected, three of whom have died.

WHO said women and children are bearing the brunt of the outbreak, with females accounting for 57.1 per cent of cases and more than half of reported deaths, while children under 10 represent 31 per cent of fatalities.

It added that cases so far range in age from newborns to 65 years.

Response efforts

The WHO noted that early detection, isolation of cases, and improvements in treatment have begun to reduce fatality rates.

However, challenges such as limited protective equipment, incomplete contact tracing, unsafe burials, and reliance on traditional healers continue to fuel transmission.

Ebola is a haemorrhagic fever which was first identified in 1976. It is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons.

Symptoms include fever, weakness, sore throat, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, organ failure and uncontrolled bleeding.

The Zaire strain, responsible for the current outbreak, is the most deadly but has a vaccine available.

Recently, the WHO announced that health authorities in the DRC began rolling out vaccination campaigns. It stated that the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved approximately 45,000 additional Ebola vaccine doses to be shipped to the DRC as part of the ongoing outbreak response.

WHO supported the health authorities in developing the request for additional doses and, in collaboration with partners, including UNICEF, also contributed to the development of a vaccination plan for the rollout of the doses.

It added that vaccination teams are also being trained in data collection and receiving field support.

Nigeria’s Response

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) recently issued a new advisory after two suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever in Abuja tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses.

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The Director-General of NCDC, Jide Idris, confirmed that the samples are undergoing further testing for other fevers, including Lassa and dengue.

Mr Idris said one of the cases involved a traveller returning from Kigali who reported early to a hospital in Abuja after feeling unwell. He commended both the individual and clinicians at Nisa Premier Hospital for their swift response.

“The vigilance and early reporting we are seeing is crucial in ensuring Nigeria is prepared to respond to any threat,” Mr Idris said.

The NCDC emphasised that health workers, family members, and mourners in contact with infected persons or bodies during burials face the highest risk of transmission.

It urged Nigerians to remain calm but cautious, adding that routine precautions, including proper hygiene and safe handling of the sick, are essential.