DRC: Record 26 Ebola deaths in single day

Congolese health authorities have announced a record 26 deaths for Sunday alone among those affected by the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the province of North Kivu, “26 new deaths of confirmed cases” were recorded on April 28, indicates the Ministry of Health in its daily bulletin on the epidemiological situation dated Monday.

“All 26 people died on Sunday, April 28” and “this is the first time this figure has been reached,” adds the Ministry of Health

Since the beginning of the epidemic, “in total, there were 957 deaths (891 confirmed and 66 probable) and 411 people healed,” says the ministry.

According to this source, at least 33 health personnel infected during the care of patients are among the deceased.

This tenth Ebola epidemic on Congolese soil was declared on 1 August in North-Kivu province (northeast) and marginally in neighboring Ituri.

Response activities are regularly hampered by insecurity and violence in this region infested by armed groups.

A Cameroonian doctor deployed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to fight Ebola was killed on April 19 – by armed assailants opposed to counter-attack activities – while he was in a working meeting with his anti-war team. Ebola at Butembo University Hospital.

“We will not be intimidated by those who attack the Ebola response (…) We will finish the work”, eradicating the epidemic, said Monday Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO was completing a support visit to Butembo (North Kivu).

“Your safety is our priority, we will do everything to protect you,” he told Butembo’s health staff.

The current Ebola outbreak in the DRC is the most serious in the history of the haemorrhagic fever virus, after the one that killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa in 20

AFP