Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have announced a new outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. Hotspots of the disease have been identified in one of the country`s provinces, where 15 people have died and dozens have been infected in recent weeks.
Unofficial reports suggest that the death toll may have climbed to 28. It is noted that the fever has affected not only individuals with weakened immune systems, insufficient nutrition, or those living in disadvantaged areas, but also healthcare professionals.
The DRC`s Ministry of Health has already established contact with the World Health Organization (WHO) to coordinate efforts, receive necessary support, and exchange up-to-date information. This marks the 16th Ebola outbreak in the DRC; the previous one was recorded in April 2022. The virus was first discovered in 1976, and since then, outbreaks have regularly occurred in various countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. The cumulative number of deaths has exceeded 15,000 people, with Ebola`s mortality rate traditionally being extremely high – up to 90% among those infected.
