has killed more than a dozen
Congo’s Health Ministry announced on Thursday a new Ebola outbreak after the first confirmed case of a 34-year-old pregnant woman in the locality of Boulapé, in Mweka territory, in southern Kasai province.
She was admitted to the hospital last month with symptoms of hemorrhagic fever, and died a few hours later from multiple organ failure.
The new outbreak is suspected of causing 15 deaths among 28 people with symptoms, including four health workers, the ministry said. It’s the 16th outbreak of Ebola in Congo, and Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said the fatality rate, estimated at 53.6%, showed the gravity of the situation.
The World Health Organization said that the number of cases is likely to rise.
”Case numbers are likely to increase as the transmission is ongoing,” it said in a statement. ”Response teams and local teams will work to find the people who may be infected and need to receive care, to ensure everyone is protected as quickly as possible.”