MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2020) The 10th outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been declared over, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa said on Thursday.
The outbreak began in the country's eastern province of North Kivu in August 2018 and has claimed over 2,200 lives. Of those 3,470 infected, a total of 1,171 fully recovered.
"Today marks the end of the 10th outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This long, complex and difficult outbreak has been overcome due to the leadership and commitment of the Government of the DRC, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), a multitude of partners, donors, and above all, the efforts of the communities affected by the virus," the office said in a press release.
At the same time, the WHO noted the need to stay vigilant in case new clusters of the virus arise, adding that support to survivors and the maintenance of strong surveillance and response systems must continue in the coming months.
"We should celebrate this moment, but we must resist complacency. Viruses do not take breaks. Ultimately, the best defence against any outbreak is investing in a stronger health system as the foundation for universal health coverage,"� WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, as quoted in the press release.
While the 10th outbreak in the DRC has ended, on June 1, 2020, an 11th outbreak was declared, the press release said. In particular, DRC Health Minister Eteni Longondo announced a new Ebola cluster in the city of Mbandaka, the capital of the Equateur province, which is a transport hub on the Congo River with a population of more than one million people.
"WHO is supporting the government-led response with more than 50 staff already deployed and more than 5000 vaccinations already administered," the press release added.
The Ebola virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals and is estimated by the WHO to have a 50-percent fatality rate. Ebola is named after the DRC's Ebola River, which is near where the virus was discovered by Belgian microbiologist Peter Piot and his team in 1976.
