WHO: New Ebola outbreak detected in Congo

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced today that a new Ebola virus disease is occurring in Wangata health zone, Mbandaka, in Équateur province. The announcement comes as a long, painful, and complicated Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is in its final phase. At the same time, the country also battles COVID-19 and the world’s largest measles outbreak, Report says, citing WHO.

Initial information from the Ministry of Health is that six Ebola cases have so far been detected in Wangata, of which four have died, and two are alive and under care. It is likely more people will be identified with the disease as surveillance activities increase.

Notably, WHO announced the end of Ebola in Congo three months ago. Ebola is an epidemic that began in West Africa in 2014 and claimed the lives of more than 11,000 people.

In August 2018, the epidemic flared up again, and so far, 3,444 cases of infection have been registered, 2,264 of those infected died.