The signals are red in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where authorities say they are facing a second wave of Covid-19 cases. The average observed several months ago has seen a worrying rebound in recent days. A situation that is particularly due to the fact that populations that risk being limited if they do not recover reduce health measures, says Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe.
as reported from Kinshasa, Pascal Mulegwa
Technical Secretary of the Multisectoral Committee in Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe pulls the alarm signal. The new coronavirus is still raging in the country, and the number of cases has increased in recent days. “We started to see an upward trend. Three, four days ago there were 20, 39 cases a day. And then it went to 50, 55 cases per day. Previously, we only had 9, 10 cases per day, he explains.
The professor continues: “Today we are almost convinced that we are in the second wave. A concern that drives the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo to “introduce new strategies” to address this recovery of the epidemic.
Congolese must act now to celebrate Christmas and New Year more calmly
Professor Muyembe’s goal is defined: “Reducing the transfer rate.” To achieve this, ”we strengthen risk communication and community involvement. We will also ensure massive screening of the population through rapid diagnostic tests ”.
Border surveillance will also be intensified. Thus, all travelers coming from abroad will be tested. “The epidemic was introduced by travelers,” the professor recalls. “If the population wants to calmly celebrate Christmas and New Year, it is really time to follow the barrier gestures and all these protective measures that the government has introduced,” he insists. According to data collected by John Hopkins University of Medicine, Covid-19 has already affected more than 12,600 people and caused the deaths of 333 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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