Congo raises death toll to 828 and confirmed cases to 2,124 due to Ebola outbreak

Kinshasa. The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reported that the Ebola outbreak declared on May 15 in the east of the country has so far left 828 people dead and 2,124 confirmed cases, according to the latest official report.

According to the bulletin from the Ministry of Communication and Media, with data updated as of July 15, the disease maintains a case fatality rate of 39%, which evidences the strong impact of the virus on the affected communities.

Health authorities specified that currently 725 patients remain hospitalized or in isolation while receiving specialized medical care. In addition, 390 people have managed to recover after overcoming the disease.

The report also highlights that contact tracing reaches 80.3%, one of the main strategies implemented to detect possible infections and prevent the spread of the outbreak to other areas of the country.

The Government assured that it maintains active epidemiological surveillance teams, rapid response brigades, and community awareness campaigns to contain the spread of the virus, especially in the eastern provinces, where the highest number of cases is concentrated.

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The authorities have reiterated the call for the population to collaborate with monitoring efforts, immediately report any symptoms compatible with the disease, and follow the recommendations of health personnel to reduce the risk of new infections.

Ebola is a serious viral disease that is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people or animals, as well as contaminated objects. Its most frequent symptoms include high fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and, in the most severe cases, hemorrhaging.

International health organizations continue to support the Congolese Government’s response by sending specialized personnel, medical supplies, and vaccines, with the purpose of strengthening care capacity and limiting the impact of the outbreak on the population.