Kinshasa, May 27 (IANS). The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing an outbreak of Ebola. The government is very worried about this. Health Minister Roger Kamba said the country is still in the early stages of the epidemic and it may take four to six months to completely control it.
At a press briefing, Kamba said the number of people with Ebola-like symptoms has reached nearly 1,000, while 101 cases have been confirmed through lab tests. As of Tuesday evening, about 220 people have died, of which 17 have been confirmed to be Ebola infected. Around 3,600 people who came in contact with them are being monitored.
The minister said that these figures are still provisional. The government has decided to report the widest possible number of suspected cases, while investigation and confirmation through laboratory testing is still ongoing.
“We are currently in the early stages of the epidemic. The outbreak is currently limited to Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Apart from these eastern provinces, there have been no confirmed infections anywhere else,” Kamba said, according to Xinhua News Agency.
According to the minister, Mongbavalu town of Ituri remains the center of infection.
The health minister said the outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo strain, a relatively rare type of Ebola virus. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the country since 1976.
Its initial identification is difficult because the initial symptoms resemble malaria. In this, the victim complains of fever, vomiting and diarrhea.
Kamba said that currently there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment available for this strain. Patients are being treated primarily through supportive care, which includes rehydrating the body, treating respiratory problems, and managing anemia.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the outbreak as “very high risk” at the national level and “high risk” at the regional level, although the threat at the global level is currently considered low.
The government has started monitoring thousands of people and testing capacity is being increased through mobile labs.
Roger Kamba said that not only medical resources but also the trust of the people has a big role in handling the situation. Rumors and superstitions are hindering relief operations in many areas. Some people still consider the disease “mysterious” and are trying to bury infected bodies in the traditional manner, increasing the risk of spreading the infection.
The government is preparing to recruit 60,000 community health workers across the country from July to strengthen surveillance and awareness campaigns.
–IANS
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