Ebola cases surpass 1,000 as death toll reaches 254- WHO
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda has exceeded 1,000 confirmed cases, with 254 deaths recorded since 15 May.
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed this in a post on the organisation’s official X account on Tuesday, noting ongoing response efforts in affected countries.
“Ebola update: more than 1000 confirmed cases have been reported in DRC, including 254 deaths. 100 patients have recovered so far, which shows that for many, the virus can be stopped with timely health care,” he said.
According to Mr Ghebreyesus, WHO, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and partners have supported the DRC Ministry of Health to expand treatment, laboratory and surveillance capacity.
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He said the support would help train additional health workers in clinical care, infection prevention and control, while strengthening community engagement and public understanding of disease prevention measures.
“But much more is needed: more treatment centres, more trained healthcare workers, more testing, more teams from within communities supporting communities,” he said.
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“We need sustained and safe access to reach all affected people.
“We need continued solidarity from the international community to end this outbreak. And ultimately, we need peace for the people of DRC.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bundibugyo virus disease is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons.
Unlike some other Ebola virus species, there is currently no licensed vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain, making early detection, isolation and strict infection prevention measures essential for containment. (NAN)
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