Congolese leader sets end date of Ebola outbreak after 800 deaths



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The Congolese president said Tuesday that he wanted an Ebola outbreak that has already become the second-worst killer in the country in less than three months, although some health experts say it could take twice as long.

President Felix Tshisekedi set the timetable during his visit to eastern Congo, at the center of an Ebola outbreak that, according to the National Ministry of Health, would have caused 800 deaths over the past year. 200 confirmed cases.

The cases of Ebola sufferers come from an unstable area near the border with Rwanda and Uganda, where rebel groups and resistance attacks from the community complicate efforts to contain the epidemic.

More than 100,000 people have received an experimental but effective vaccine against the Ebola virus, a major asset among the challenges. Tshisekedis' visit took place a few days after the World Health Organization decided that the epidemic was not yet a global health emergency.

Congo's president promised more protection for health workers and asked for cooperation from local residents. Years of deadly attacks and rebellious instability have made the residents wary of both foreigners and the government.

If the Ebola outbreak continues, people will be afraid to visit the region, said Tshisekedi. Since taking office early this year, he has pledged to fight rebel groups in the region.

A woman who was leaving a treatment center on Tuesday after being rebuffed from Ebola hemorrhagic fever expressed her mixed feelings when she learned that she was infected with the virus.

I was thinking of dying and hiding, but a few days later, I came to be admitted, said Rachel Kavugho, 29. And here I am in good health.

She also called on other residents in the area to seek help in the centers.

This version corrects to say that nearly 1200 cases have been confirmed.

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