DR Congo’s Ebola response is continuing across five provinces, with 4,294 confirmed cases and 1,960 deaths reported….reports Africa Daily news Desk
The Ebola virus disease response is continuing across five provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), with health authorities reporting 4,294 confirmed cases since the outbreak began.
The affected provinces are Haut-Uélé, Ituri, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu and Tshopo, according to the latest situation update issued on August 8. The outbreak currently affects 53 health zones out of 140 across the five provinces, while transmission remains active in Ituri, Nord-Kivu and Haut-Uélé.
Ituri continues to be the epicentre of the outbreak, with the province accounting for 28 of its 36 health zones affected by the disease. Nord-Kivu has reported cases in 12 of its 34 health zones, while six of 13 health zones in Haut-Uélé have been affected.
In Tshopo, six of the province’s 23 health zones are affected. Sud-Kivu has reported Ebola in one of its 34 health zones.
The situation update said Sud-Kivu had gone 73 days without recording a new confirmed case, indicating a prolonged period without fresh infections in the province.
Across the five affected provinces, 722 patients are currently in isolation or receiving hospital care. A total of 849 people have recovered since the beginning of the epidemic, while 1,960 deaths have been recorded among confirmed cases.
The overall case fatality rate stands at 45.6 per cent, while the contact tracing rate has reached 84.6 per cent.
Health authorities continue to maintain epidemiological surveillance across the affected provinces. Reported alerts are being investigated by surveillance teams to identify suspected cases and ensure that patients are transferred to treatment or isolation centres when necessary.
The response has also included efforts to strengthen coordination between health authorities and other partners. A joint mission by the World Health Organisation and the Provincial Health Division was conducted in the Vuhovi health zone in Nord-Kivu to assess and strengthen coordination of the local response.
In Ituri, health teams are continuing patient care and recovery efforts. Patients who have obtained two negative test results for the Ebola virus have been declared recovered, while medical teams continue evacuating patients and providing care at treatment and transit centres.
Community engagement is also continuing in areas affected by the outbreak. Awareness activities have been conducted among traders, households, community leaders and motorcycle taxi drivers.
The activities include home visits, clarification of rumours and the distribution of information, education and communication materials as health authorities seek to improve public awareness and encourage cooperation with the response.
The authorities said the data remain subject to change as information reported by provinces and response pillars is consolidated, validated and harmonised.
The latest figures underline the continuing scale of the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, while the absence of a new confirmed case in Sud-Kivu for more than two months offers a positive development in one of the affected provinces.
