newYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has declared the end of the latest Ebola virus outbreak in eastern North Kivu province, Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani Mbanda said in a statement on Tuesday.
The 15th outbreak in the Central African country occurred on 22 August when a new case of the deadly virus was confirmed in the eastern city of Beni.
Laboratory tests showed that the case was genetically linked to an epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in 2018-2020 that killed nearly 2,300 people.
East Congo to begin Ebola vaccination after new cases reported
Another flare-up from that outbreak killed six people last year.
Mbungani Mbanda said: “After 42 days of heightened surveillance with no new cases, we are pleased to solemnly declare the 15th epidemic over. That’s one month and 12 days. continued.”
Congo’s dense rainforests are the natural host for the Ebola virus, which causes fever, body aches and diarrhea.
Since 1976, 14 outbreaks have been recorded in the country. From 2018 to 2020, the outbreak in the eastern part of the country was the largest and second-largest on record in Congo, with a total of nearly 3,500 cases.
Cholera death toll in Syria rises to 29
The most recent outbreak in Congo occurred in northwestern Equateur Province. The end was declared in July after five people died.