The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the outbreak of the Ebola disease in Africa after the death of two people of the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The report marks the 14th outbreak of the disease that the country has witnessed since 1976, with WHO commencing preparations for a vaccine rollout in the country.
According to the National Institute of Biomedical Research’s report, a 31-year-old patient died recently in the north-western city of Mbandaka, with the man showing symptoms two weeks before he died but did not seek treatment until a week later.
Also, a 25-year-old woman died of the disease, with WHO confirming on Twitter that no fewer than 145 people “came into contact with the confirmed cases”.
The woman started experiencing symptoms 12 days before her death and investigations have revealed she was the sister-in-law of the first man that died.
She contracted the disease after coming into close contact with the first patient.
The statement published on WHO’s official social media platform reads: “Also over the weekend, health authorities in #DRC declared an outbreak of #Ebola, after a case was confirmed in Mbandaka, a city in the Equateur Province. A 2nd case was confirmed today, in a relative of the first patient. Unfortunately, both patients have died.
“WHO is supporting the government to scale up testing, contact tracing and public health measures. Stockpiles of #Ebola vaccines in Goma and Kinshasa are now being transported to Mbandaka so that vaccination can start.
“The government and people of #DRC have a great deal of experience stopping #Ebola outbreaks and WHO will support them to do whatever is needed.”
