The Ebola haemorrhagic fever epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains a global emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) decided on Tuesday after the resurgence of cases in the east of the country. " The [emergency] committee agreed that, although the risk of international spread of Ebola is low, this event still constitutes a health emergency OF international scope, requiring international coordination and support ," announced WHO in a tweet, following a meeting of experts.
They also recommend " extending the use of the vaccine to high-risk populations, vaccination being the best public health tool to prevent and control the spread " of the virus. The DRC and the WHO were preparing to officially proclaim the end of the epidemic on Monday, encouraged by the disappearance of new cases and the discharge of the last patient from an Ebola treatment center in Beni (east) on 3rd of March.
But their hopes were dashed three days before the deadline, with the announcement Friday of the death of a 26-year-old man in the territory of Beni, one of the epicenters of the epidemic of hemorrhagic fever which killed 2276 people since its declaration on August 1, 2018 in the east of the country. " There are currently three cases: two have died and one is alive, " said WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris in a virtual press briefing.
The second death, that of a child, was recorded Sunday in the city of Beni. This second case attended the same health center as the victim registered on Friday. The DRC must now wait 42 days (twice the maximum incubation time) without new cases to proclaim the end of this tenth epidemic on its soil. Ebola is spread between humans through direct and close contact. A healthy person is contaminated by the " bodily fluids " of a sick person: blood, vomit, feces ... But, unlike the flu, this virus cannot be transmitted by air.
But it is formidable because of its very high fatality rate: around 50% and up to 90% for certain epidemics, according to the WHO.