Ebola returns! Second wave detected in northwest Democratic Republic of the Congo

New Delhi : While the world is yet to find a solution from ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 1 announced a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease is occurring in Wangata health zone, Mbandaka, in Equateur province. 

According to the initial information, six confirmed cases of Ebola have been traced in Wangata, of which four have died and two are alive and under care. Three of the six cases have been confirmed after laboratory tests.

"This is a reminder that COVID-19 is not the only health threat people face," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "Although much of our attention is on the pandemic, WHO is continuing to monitor and respond to many other health emergencies."

The virus was first reported in 1976 and since then it is the 11th outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s.

“It’s happening at a challenging time, but WHO has worked over the last two years with health authorities, Africa CDC and other partners to strengthen national capacity to respond to outbreaks,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “To reinforce local leadership, WHO plans to send a team to support scaling up the response. Given the proximity of this new outbreak to busy transport routes and vulnerable neighbouring countries we must act quickly.”

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 10th outbreak of Ebola, in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces, is in its final stages. On 14 May 2020, the Ministry of Health began the 42-day countdown to the declaration of the end of that outbreak.

New outbreaks of Ebola are expected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo given the existence of the virus in an animal reservoir in many parts of the country.