The Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday declared the end of the country’s latest Ebola epidemic after killing 55 people in the past five months.
“I am pleased to solemnly declare the end of the eleventh epidemic of the Ebola virus in the province of Equateur” in the northwestern part of the great country, Health Minister Eteni Longondo told reporters.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the latest outbreak had killed 55 people among 119 confirmed and 11 probable cases since it began in June.
As in the previous epidemic in the east, the widespread use of vaccinations helped to combat the disease, the WHO said. The outbreak, which began in August 2018, was the country’s deadliest ever with 2,277 deaths.
The latest bleeding epidemic occurred because the previous outbreak was not officially over and since the end of March the country had taken measures to fight the coronavirus. “There is still a high risk of a resurgence,” the minister said.
The Ebola virus is transmitted through contact with blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected or recently deceased person. It has a natural container in nature, which is believed to be a bat species. The death toll is usually high and extends up to 90% in certain outbreaks, according to the WHO.
