Health workers in DR Congo and their contacts are expected to be vaccinated against ebola as Congo reports new outbreak of the deadly disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Congolese government with the vaccination campaign.
WHO says it has dispatched its experts alongside Congo’s Rapid Response Team to the country’s Kasai province to strengthen disease surveillance, treatment and infection prevention and control in health facilities.
The global health body noted that it is also delivering supplies including personal protective equipment, mobile laboratory equipment and medical supplies.
According to WHO,
Congo has a stockpile of treatments and of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says “We had previously prepositioned 2,000 doses of Ebola vaccine in Kinshasa, which we are releasing to vaccinate contacts and health workers.”
It’s the 16th outbreak of Ebola in Congo, and Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said the fatality rate, estimated at 53.6%, showed the gravity of the situation.
The confirmed case was of a 34-year-old pregnant woman in the locality of Boulapé, in southern Kasai province. Research on the suspected cases was ongoing.
“To date, the provisional report shows 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including 14 in Boulapé and 1 in Mweka, as well as four health care workers,” Kamba said.
Source:Africa Publicity