The 15th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has come to an end. This was announced by the Congolese government on Tuesday. The Ebola virus disease appeared on August 16 for the third time in the town of Beni, and the fourth time in the province of North Kivu, causing only one death.
“On this Tuesday, September 27, after 42 days of enhanced monitoring without new confirmed cases, and in accordance with the protocol of the World Health Organization, I am pleased to solemnly declare the end of the 15th Ebola epidemic in the province of North Kivu, which will have lasted 1 month and 12 days,” said in an official statement, the Minister of Health, Jean-Jacques Mbungani.
However, vigilance and caution are required. “The ecosystem of our country and the high number of people recovered from previous Ebola epidemics constitute for our country a high and permanent risk of resurgence of Ebola epidemics,” added the minister.
While the DRC declares the end of an Ebola outbreak, neighboring Uganda is in the midst of a severe crisis where an outbreak of the disease poses a high risk to the population. The Congolese authorities are taking action: “In view of the outbreak of the Sudan strain of MVE in Uganda, cross-border surveillance should be strengthened and a preparedness plan put in place for the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri to be able to rapidly detect possible public health emergencies.
The Congolese Minister of Health also called for “further strengthening of our epidemiological monitoring system in general and particularly around the healed while reflecting on appropriate strategies to be put in place for all these health areas at risk.
