Ebola outbreak Congo: ‘Second BIGGEST in history’ 426 cases, 245 dead

The recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is located in a volatile part of the country with at least 426 people either carrying the disease or showing symptoms for the disease. With the confirmation of these incidents, it surpassed an outbreak in Uganda in 2000 that saw 425 cases of the disease. Congo’s outbreak is only surpassed by another one from 2013-2016 in West Africa where there were over 28,000 confirmed cases.

Ebola is believed to have killed around 245 people in Congo’s North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

Responses to cases in these regions have been hampered due to attacks from armed groups as well as resistance from the communities to health officials.

Since Ebola was discovered in 1976, Congo has seen 10 separate outbreaks.

The disease spreads through contact with bodily fluids.

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It causes hemorrhagic fever, which causes issues with the body’s ability to regulate itself, as well as severe vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding.

In over half of cases, these symptoms prove fatal.

Senior Director of Emergency Health at the International Rescue Committee Michelle Gayer said: “This tragic milestone clearly demonstrates the complexity and severity of the outbreak.

“The dynamics of conflict mean a protracted outbreak is likely, and the end is not in sight.”

In December 2013, cases of Ebola began to appear in West Africa.

Cases continued to appear until March 2016 despite claims throughout the two and a half years that it has been eradicated in the region.

In the end, there were 28,600 confirmed cases of Ebola with 11,325 people dying.

There is currently no cure or treatment for Ebola.

In order to combat the new outbreak, a new multi drug treatment is being tried.

DRC Minister of Health Dr Olly Ilunga said: “Our country is struck with Ebola outbreaks too often, which also means we have unique expertise in combatting it.

“These trials will contribute to building that knowledge, while we continue to respond on every front to bring the current outbreak to an end.”