Health Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Samuel Roger Kamba reported that the death toll from the recent Ebola outbreak in the country has risen to 131 from 513 suspected cases. Kamba noted that the figures were an estimate and further research was needed to confirm whether all the deaths were related to the virus.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the epidemic as an international health emergency during the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Early on Sunday, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over an epidemic of Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.”
Meanwhile, Bahrain announced through its state news agency that it was suspending the entry of foreign travelers from the DRC, South Sudan, and Uganda for 30 days effective immediately due to the outbreak.
There is currently no vaccine or cure for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is responsible for the latest outbreak. Ebola has killed over 15,000 people in Africa over the last 50 years.
The newest epidemic originated in the DRC’s northeastern province of Ituri, which lies on the border with Uganda and South Sudan. The virus has spread into neighbouring provinces, traveling as far as 200km away from the epicentre and beyond DRC’s borders.
A United States citizen also contracted the virus in the DRC and is currently being treated in Germany.
A spokesperson for the German Ministry of Health told AFP, “U.S authorities have requested assistance from the German government in treating a U.S citizen who contracted Ebola in Congo.”
The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday that the citizen was exposed to the virus during his work in the DRC and was tested positive late Sunday.
The Bundibugyo strain has a mortality rate of 50 per cent and has no officially approved vaccine so far.
