DRC: Ebola survivor delivers healthy baby girl

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a woman who was infected with Ebola while pregnant gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Sunday January 6 in the volatile region of Beni.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the woman recovered after receiving treatment for the deadly viral disease at a treatment center.

“You have to be careful, I had a good birth. I thank God for allowing me to have a safe birth. Now I recovered, I do not have any diseases and the baby was born healthy. I am very grateful for the great work that the team is doing. The mothers should not be afraid of dying from serious diseases. They are doing a good job at the hospital and the clinic”, 28-year old ebola survivor, Josephine Ekoli said.

Doctors at the centre said both Josephine Ekoli, 28, and her baby Sylvana are well.

Ekoli was infected by the virus and admitted to the treatment centre supported by the U.N. health agency in Beni in December 2018.

Doctors said ‘‘this was something unheard of in the last Ebola epidemic’‘.

“I knew that they were following some women who appear to be survivors of Ebola, who were still carrying a healthy pregnancy. This was something that was close to unheard of in the last epidemic. That was really something exciting to see a woman give birth to a child after it appears she survived Ebola”, said doctor at WHO Ebola treatment center, Susan McLellan.

Last month, the WHO said Ebola has killed 356 of the 585 people infected during the almost six-month outbreak, and one-fifth of the cases have occurred within the past three weeks.

Reuters