DRC Ebola death toll rises to 930 as outbreak continues | News about Ebola

Ebola is spreading faster than ever in the DRC, with 37 new deaths recorded in 24 hours over the weekend.

The death toll from the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has risen to 930 and the virus appears to be spreading rapidly.

The Ministry of Health said on Monday that the number of confirmed cases has reached 2,344. This is all confirmed since Saturday when 37 deaths were recorded in just 24 hours since Friday – one of the highest daily increases since Ebola broke out in the DRC on May 15.

The World Health Organization (WHO) he warned last week Ebola is spreading in the DRC faster than ever before.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC in 2018-2020 “took more than 10 months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases”. This time, it only took two months to arrive 2,000 confirmed casesand ⁠WHO said the true number would be at least twice that.

“This is now the third outbreak of Ebola,” Tedros said. “In the last month, it’s grown faster than it’s ever started.”

DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak was first reported after several deaths in Ituri, a wealthy northeastern region controlled by several armed groups.

Cases of Ebola, which is spread through close contact and contaminated bodily fluids, have been found in five provinces of the DRC and in neighboring Uganda. But where Uganda is now almost “virus free”Tedros said, Ebola is spreading rapidly in the DRC.

Adding to the crisis in Ituri, where the death toll is rising, health workers they went on strike last week and blocked the entrance of Bunia General Hospital. Workers complained that they have not received compensation for their work since the outbreak began, despite treating patients in difficult and dangerous conditions.

Tedros pointed out that more than 80 percent of the new cases were found “outside the known list, showing that transmission chains are still missing”.

The Ministry of Health said in its latest statement that 724 patients are currently in isolation in hospitals and is increasing the response in the affected areas.

“Patient care and medical treatment are merging, and 22 new recoveries were recorded in 24 hours,” the ministry said.