DRC confirms end of last deadly Ebola outbreak



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The latest outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo is over, said Tuesday the Ministry of Health, after a 42-day observation period without new confirmed cases.

There were 54 cases of Ebola, 33 of which were fatal The Ministry said:

Health officials said that a rapid international response and that vaccinations of more than 3,300 people were major factors in the containment of the epidemic, the ninth of the DRC since the hemorrhage. Fever was identified for the first time in 1976.

"Even though the scale of the crisis was unprecedented, the speed and effectiveness of the response put in place by the government and its partners were also exceptional, "Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga

The epidemic posed a serious problem when it spread to the city of Mbandaka and its more than 1 million people.

The other initial cases were in remote, hard-to-live areas. reach rural areas without basic infrastructure such as electricity, making the vaccination effort more difficult.

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"From the beginning, we were prepared for the worst case scenario," said the Minister of Health. "And our fears were quickly confirmed with the confirmation Wednesday, May 16, of the first cases of Ebola in the city of Mbandaka."

The city is located on the Congo River upstream of the capital, Kinshasa. It was feared that the virus might spread not only in the country, but also in neighboring countries, particularly in the Central African Republic

International organizations will remain in the Congo for monitoring and surveillance.

The World Health Organization plays an important role "The outbreak was contained thanks to the tireless efforts of local teams, the support of partners, the generosity of donors and the effective leadership of the Ministry of Health. A kind of leadership, coupled with strong collaboration between partners, saves lives, "said WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

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