DRC: more than 8,500 dead in conflicts in Goma

DRC: Beginning of Ebola vaccination in Bulape

ByThe Mwebantu Team
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The Ebola virus vaccination campaign was launched on Saturday in the Bulape Health Zone, at the center of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where an epidemic was declared, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday.

This first phase concerns caregivers on the front line as well as the contacts of the patients. A first batch of 400 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, effective against the Zaire Ebolavirus strain, has already arrived. Nearly 45,000 additional doses should follow in the coming days, while 1,500 doses are stored in Kinshasa, ready to be transported.

According to the WHO, 68 suspicious cases, including 16 deaths, were reported. Twenty-five cases are confirmed. The epicenter is located near Tshikapa, in the province of Kasai, a hundred kilometers from the Angolan border. Frequent population movements increase the risk of spread.

This is the 16ᵉ Ebola epidemic recorded in the DRC since 1976. WHO estimates high risk at the national level, moderate at the regional and low world level.

The Mwebantu Team
The Mwebantu Team

Led by Nia, the insightful editor-in-chief, Kwame, our technology expert, and Amara, the bold field reporter, the Mwebantu team weaves the vibrant narrative of Africa every day, forging a narrative bridge between the continent and the world. Their shared passion illuminates the mission of Mwebantu News, making African voices resonate on the global stage.