DRC: Back by killer waves of Ebola

By Rachel Kesseng with APA - 23/08/2012
Ten deaths from hemorrhagic fever were reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) north-east


Ebola, discovered 35 years ago in Zaire, continues to return regularly by the killer waves in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in particular Isiro, a city in the Eastern Province where the Ebola epidemic continues. 15 cases combined with signs of bleeding including 10 deaths, have been reported in 20 August 2012 by the World Health Organization (WHO), a case fatality rate of over 66%, according to the latest meeting of crisis held in Kisangani under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister of Health. Wednesday, August 22, 2012 Yesterday evening, there were ten people, including three members of the health personnel who had contact with the victims. Meanwhile, more than a hundred people are currently under surveillance after contact with infected patients.
 A WHO report published yesterday in Kinshasa Wednesday, August 22, indicates that apart from the health zones of Dungu and Isiro latter being the epicenter of the disease, Ebola hit two neighboring areas of health, including those of Pawa and Viadana in the district of Bas-Uele in Orientale Province in north-eastern DRC. Cases have been reported with one death and alerts recorded in riparian areas. But the strain that occurs in Isiro is considered less dangerous than the initial form of the virus called Zaire, discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River, whose name was given to this terrible hemorrhagic fever against which there is no treatment or vaccine.

 The epidemic of haemorrhagic fever Ebola Bundibugyo strain, was officially declared on 17 August by the Congolese Minister of Public Health, Felix Kabange Numbi. To cope, two emergency committees have been set up in Kinshasa and Kisangani. WHO, MSF, CDC-Atlanta and other partners have sent experts on site and provide technical support, logistics and financial authorities to curb the epidemic in APA also reports this information.
The Minister of Public Health and the WHO Representative in the DRC are expected to Isiro this Thursday, August 23 for a rapid assessment mission to strengthen the fight against this epidemic, the UN agency announced. This epidemic Congolese follows that which is declared in Uganda. But these two epidemics may have nothing to do with each other, strains are not the same. Prevention messages are broadcast towards the population, mainly hygiene measures.  http://journaldekin.com/article.php?aid=1326