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The death toll from the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo rises to over 1,500 people killed.
Confirmed
In Short: The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed over 1,500 lives, with the death toll rising as the crisis worsens food security and health conditions in the country.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is intensifying, with the death toll reaching over 1,500 people, according to the latest government update. The U.N. food agency head reported that the epidemic is worsening food insecurity in a country already facing a significant humanitarian crisis.
The latest data from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 3,442 cases, with 1,521 deaths, reflecting a backlog of unconfirmed cases and deaths. In the last two weeks, 63% of confirmed deaths occurred outside of treatment centers, highlighting the challenges faced by health workers.
Attacks on health facilities, such as the one in Nyakunde, are causing anxiety among health workers and hindering their ability to treat patients. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the risk of the disease spreading remains very high in Congo.
The Ebola disease is causing fear among the population, leading many to avoid seeking healthcare out of fear of catching the virus or due to false rumors about the care provided. This has resulted in patients with other critical conditions, such as malaria, and pregnant women not receiving the necessary care.
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- The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is worsening food insecurity in a country already battling with one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, the head of the U.N. food agency said Wednesday.
- As of Tuesday, 3,442 cases had been recorded, with 1,521 deaths, according to the latest government update.
- The sharp rise since last week partly reflects a backlog of cases and deaths that had not yet been confirmed or recorded, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
- Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya said Thursday that 63% of confirmed deaths in the last two weeks occurred outside of treatment centers.
- Attacks such as the one in Nyakunde are causing anxiety among health workers and making it difficult for them to carry out their duties, said Pierre Akilimali, the Ebola response incident manager at the National…
- The latest outbreak has killed more people at a quicker rate than any previous outbreak, including in 2014-2016 when 28,000 cases were reported, of which over 11,000 people died.
- In Congo, however, the risk of the spread remains “very high,” according to the WHO.
- “Eola disease is terrifying, and many people refrain from seeking healthcare out of fear to catch the virus in the health facilities or due to false rumours about the care that is provided there. This means that…