Today, the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared the end of the Ebola epidemic that broke out less than three months ago in Mbandaka (the capital of Equateur Province in the northeast). It was the third outbreak in the province since 2018 and the country’s 14th overall.
National emergency teams with greater expertise in Ebola control organized a rapid response, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), partners, and soon after the outbreak was declared. They implemented key countermeasures including testing, contact trace, infection prevention and control and treatment. Vaccination – a crucial protective measure – was launched just four days after the outbreak was declared.
In all, there were four confirmed cases and one probable case – all of whom died. There were 130 confirmed cases in Equateur Province and 55 deaths during the previous outbreak. This was from June to November 2020.
“Thanks to the robust response by the national authorities, this outbreak has been brought to an end swiftly withlimited transmission of the virus,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Crucial lessons have been learned from past outbreaks and they have been applied to devise and deploy an ever more effective Ebola response.”
In total, 2104 people were vaccinated in the just-ended outbreak, including 302 contacts as well as 1307 frontline workers. An ultra-cold chain freezer in Mbandaka was installed to facilitate the vaccination rollout. It allowed vaccine doses to be stored locally, safely and delivered effectively.
Since 1976, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced 14 Ebola cases. Six of them have occurred since 2018.
“Africa is seeing an increase in Ebola and other infectious diseases that jump from animals to humans impacting large urban areas,” said Dr Moeti. “We need to be ever more vigilant to ensure we catch cases quickly. This outbreak response shows that by bolstering preparedness, disease surveillance and swift detection, we can stay a step ahead.”
WHOThe Democratic Republic of the Congo was supported in the implementation of a strong national strategy that was developed early to guide response coordination.
Mbandaka is now declared free from the virus. However, health authorities are still monitoring the situation and are ready for any flare-ups. After an outbreak, it is not uncommon for sporadic cases.
The disease can be fatal and severe for humans and other primates. In past outbreaks, the case fatality rate has varied between 25% and 90%. Patients have a much higher chance of survival if they receive supportive care and treatment early.
Source: newbusinessethiopia
