In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Ebola virus is not weakening. On August 1, 2018, a tenth epidemic broke out in the provinces of North Kivu (in the east of the country) and Ituri (in the north-east of the country): since that date, 271 people have died. because of illness.
According to the Congolese Minister of Health, Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga, “since the beginning of the epidemic, the cumulative number of cases is 458, including 410 confirmed and 48 probable. In total, there have been 271 deaths (223 confirmed and 48 probable) and 146 people cured. In addition, 94 suspected cases are still under investigation. »
This Thursday, December 6, 2018the Congolese Minister of Health estimated that the epidemic “will last a few more months”: “every time there is a declared case, for example today, you must tell yourself that the epidemic will still last 60 days”.
Ebola: “the risk is always present”
The Ebola virus was discovered in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Responsible for high fevers (above 38°C), headaches, muscle aches, internal and/or external bleeding and other flu-like symptoms, the Ebola virus is easily transmitted between humans through contact with contaminated blood or body fluids (saliva, etc.). The fatality rate varies between 30% and 90%.
“Every effort is being made to continue to break the chain of transmission of the disease and limit its spread (…) but the risk is still present and we continue to face it,” said Dr Oly Ilunga Kalenga.
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