Democratic Republic of Congo declares end to latest Ebola outbreak

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo announced on Monday that the most recent Ebola outbreak, which began in August and resulted in at least 34 confirmed deaths, has officially been brought to an end. Despite progress in vaccines and treatments, the virus remains highly lethal and has claimed around 15,000 lives across Africa over the past five decades.

The 20182020 outbreak in DR Congo was the most severe in the nation's history, infecting approximately 3,500 people and causing nearly 2,300 fatalities. According to Dieudonne Mwamba Kazadi, head of the National Institute of Public Health, the latest outbreak is now considered concluded. He confirmed 53 infections and stated that 34 of those patients had died, while an additional 11 likely succumbed to the virus, bringing the estimated death toll to 45.

Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba noted that available evidence shows the transmission chain has been successfully interrupted. His remarks came during an official ceremony in Kinshasa attended by representatives from the World Health Organization and Africas Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Emmanuel Lampaert, the Doctors Without Borders representative in the DRC, explained that the outbreak occurred in a region facing severe isolation, poor road access, harsh climate conditions, and limited availability of essential services. Since Ebola was first identified in 1976, when the country was still known as Zaire, DR Congo has experienced 16 outbreaks.

The most recent outbreak began on August 20 in Kasai Province, after a pregnant 34-year-old woman was admitted to a local medical facility. Authorities formally declared the outbreak in early September. A vaccination campaign was launched in mid-September, posing significant logistical challenges in a country with vast territory and often inadequate transportation infrastructure.

The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision supplied an additional 45,000 vaccine doses to support the response in DR Congo, one of the poorest nations in the world. Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, and symptoms may include fever, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhoea. The virus is contagious only after symptoms emerge, which can occur anytime from two to 21 days following exposure.

Author: Sophia Brooks