Health

30 Ebola cases confirmed in DRC, 8 dead

Ministry of Public Health official dismisses reports virus has spread to capital

24.05.2018 - Update : 24.05.2018
30 Ebola cases confirmed in DRC, 8 dead File photo

By Godfrey Olukya

ARU, Democratic Republic of Congo

The Ebola virus has so far killed at least eight people while 30 cases of the deadly disease have been detected in Equateur province since May 8, according to a Ministry of Public Health official Thursday.

Dr. Faustin Legu told Anadolu Agency: “As of today in Equateur province, a total of 58 cases of hemorrhagic fever have been identified of which 30 have been confirmed to be Ebola cases, 14 probable and 14 suspected; 8 deaths have been recorded.''

He added the ministry had set up surveillance teams along the river Congo to monitor people coming there.

The ministry also rejected the rumor doing the rounds in capital Kinshasa that some people in the city had been infected by Ebola.

''After carrying out clinical and epidemiological investigations on those suspected to be infected by Ebola in Kinsasha city at the general reference hospital, the results were found to be negative. There is no cause of alarm in Kinshasa,'' Legu said.

Ebola cases were reported in Bikoro village, near Mbadbaka city on May 8.

Since then international health officials have arrived in the area to battle the deadly disease.

An Ebola vaccination campaign began in the DRC on May 21 and focused on those who lived near infected patients.

This is not the first time for Ebola has hit the DRC.

In 2012, it killed four people, in 2014 a total of 49 people died while in 2017 it killed four people.

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