Ebola outbreak in DR Congo kills 19 people in five days
A new Ebola outbreak which began with a sparse harbinger from August this year has spiraled into a ravaging epidemic in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The ministry of health in the country has revealed that the deadly virus has claimed the lives of about 19 people in just five days. It further stated that the outbreak has now killed up to 241 victims in the last four months of its resurgence.
Despite strenuous efforts by health professionals to permanently rid Africa of Ebola virus, it seems the deadly virus has still found a means to evade all remedial campaigns.
Ebola is believed to have originated from DR Congo in 1976 before spreading to other parts of Africa. The virus had caused a global pandemonium in 2014 when it was at its deadliest spread, affecting mostly West African countries, including Nigeria.
Although the virus was effectively contained in Nigeria, it still succeeded in claiming many lives, including Dr Stella Adadevoh, who paid the ultimate price for being in contact and restraining Mr Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American man who introduced the virus into the country.
The current outbreak has created a new challenge and fear of potential spread to other regions as the conflict within the region of North Kivu where it is currently causing mayhem has hampered effective medical outreach.
The virus is highly infectious and once contacted, it quickly spreads through body fluids which causes a blood surge that leads to internal bleeding which kills the victim.
Health professionals are working hard to contain the disease to avoid further escalations.
