Published Date: 2012-09-15 19:32:06
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Ebola virus disease - Congo DR (11): (OE)
Archive Number: 20120915.1295312

EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (11): (ORIENTALE)
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Date: Thu 13 Sep 2012
Source: BBC [edited]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19591204


An outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now killed 31 people and could threaten major towns, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

An epidemic was officially declared on 17 Aug [2012] in the north-western Orientale Province. WHO official Eugene Kabambi told Reuters that the situation was "very serious" and was "not under control".

Ebola is highly contagious and kills up to 90 per cent of people infected. There is no known treatment or vaccine for the disease, which is spread by close personal contact [with body fluids] and causes massive internal bleeding.

The death toll from this latest outbreak, centred on the towns of Isoro and Viadana, has more than doubled over the course of a week to 31. Up to 5 health workers are thought to be among the dead.

"The epidemic is not under control. On the contrary the situation is very, very serious," Mr Kabambi warned, speaking in DR Congo's capital Kinshasa. "If nothing is done now, the disease will reach other places, and even major towns will be threatened," he said.

Last month an outbreak of a more deadly Ebola strain in neighbouring Uganda killed 16 people, but health workers say the 2 outbreaks do not appear to be related.

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Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
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[Clearly, intensive public heath education is needed urgently in the 2 towns where the cases are occurring, to prevent additional cases. Washing of the bodies of fatal cases by family members, a traditional practice in the DRC, has to stop in this situation. Hospital need to implement strict barrier nursing to protect health care providers. - Mod.TY

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/3pRj.]

See Also

Ebola virus disease - Congo DR (10): (OE) 20120909.1287214
Ebola virus disease - Congo DR (09): (OE) WHO 20120906.1283412
Ebola virus disease - Congo DR (08): (OE) 20120904.1280639
Ebola virus disease - Congo DR (07): (OE) WHO 20120831.1275094
Ebola virus disease - Congo DR (06): (OE) 20120824.1260808
Ebola virus disease - Congo DR (05): (OE) WHO 20120821.1254917
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (04): (OE) 20120820.1253396
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (03): (OE) Bundibugyo virus conf. 20120818.1250930
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR (02): (OR) susp 20120816.1247447
Ebola hemorrhagic fever - Congo DR: (OE) susp 20120814.1244138
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