By Atoyebi Nike
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have announced the end of the country’s most recent Ebola outbreak, which began in August and led to at least 34 confirmed deaths. Officials made the declaration on Monday ahead of a formal event in Kinshasa.
The head of the National Institute of Public Health, Dieudonne Mwamba Kazadi, said surveillance teams recorded 53 confirmed cases. He added that 11 more deaths were likely caused by the virus, bringing the probable total fatalities to 45.
This marks the 16th Ebola outbreak in DR Congo since the virus was first detected in Zaire in 1976. The latest episode started on August 20, when a 34-year-old pregnant woman was admitted in Kasai Province. Authorities declared an outbreak in early September.
Vaccination teams began work by mid-September, despite challenging terrain and limited transport networks across a country four times the size of France. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision supplied 45,000 additional doses to support the campaign.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. Common symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and bleeding. The virus becomes transmissible only after symptoms appear, with an incubation period ranging from two to 21 days.
Officials noted that rapid response, improved treatment options, and expanded vaccination helped contain the outbreak more quickly than previous waves.
