Reuters, Kinshasa :
Democratic Republic of Congo announced the end of an almost six-month Ebola outbreak in the west of the country on Wednesday as health authorities looked to apply lessons from the successful response to the fight against Covid-19 in Africa.
The outbreak, which infected 130 people and killed 55, emerged in June, weeks before a separate Ebola epidemic in the east drew to a close. That one killed more than 2,200 people, the second-most in the disease’s history.
“I am pleased to solemnly declare the end of the 11th epidemic of Ebola virus disease in Equateur Province,” Health Minister Eteni Longondo told a news conference.
Longondo attributed the success of the response to the ready availability of vaccines and treatments as well as efforts to move treatment centres closer to local communities.
Democratic Republic of Congo announced the end of an almost six-month Ebola outbreak in the west of the country on Wednesday as health authorities looked to apply lessons from the successful response to the fight against Covid-19 in Africa.
The outbreak, which infected 130 people and killed 55, emerged in June, weeks before a separate Ebola epidemic in the east drew to a close. That one killed more than 2,200 people, the second-most in the disease’s history.
“I am pleased to solemnly declare the end of the 11th epidemic of Ebola virus disease in Equateur Province,” Health Minister Eteni Longondo told a news conference.
Longondo attributed the success of the response to the ready availability of vaccines and treatments as well as efforts to move treatment centres closer to local communities.
