A major milestone in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s fight against Ebola.
DRC begins countdown to end of Ebola outbreak as last patient recovers
FILE - A health worker wearing protective suit enters an isolation pod to treat a patient at a treatment center in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, Saturday, July 13, 2019.
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The last patient being treated since an outbreak of the disease was declared in early September has been released from hospital. Their recovery starts the clock on a 42-day countdown to declaring the outbreak over if no further cases are confirmed.
To date, 19 people have recovered from the disease and no new cases have been reported since the 25th of September. In all, there have been 53 confirmed and 11 suspected infections.
This latest outbreak occurred in Bulape health district in Kauai province. A hard to reach area with limited infrastructure, the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) set up a 32-bed treatment centre in record time. Some 35,000 people in Bulape have been vaccinated against the Ebola virus.
WHO and partners remain on the ground, working closely with government to ensure measures are maintained to swiftly detect and respond to any cases as the country eagerly awaits the end of the outbreak.
If no new cases are detected, the outbreak will be declared over in early December 2025.
Ebola is a rare but severe viral infection in humans that takes its name from the DRC’s Ebola river.