2nd LD Writethru-Roundup: DR Congo confirms Ebola epidemic in northern region

The health ministry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) on Friday confirmed the outbreak of an Ebola epidemic in its northern region.

Minister of Public Health Oly Ilunga Kalenga has informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of the "outbreak of an Ebola virus epidemic" in the northern province of Bas-Uele.

According to Kalenga, the confirmation of the Ebola virus followed test results on blood samples at the laboratory of the National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), the national laboratory in capital city Kinshasa.

"Of the five blood samples taken from suspected cases and analyzed at the INRB, one was positive for the Ebola virus," the minister said in a correspondence addressed to the WHO representative in the DRC.

He has also sought the support of the WHO to strengthen the response to this epidemic.

According to Allarangar Yokouide, WHO representative in the DRC, the WHO Country Office is working closely with all national and provincial authorities as well as WHO Regional Office and Headquarters and all other partners, to facilitate the deployment of protective equipment and field personnel to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and control the epidemic.

According to him, WHO Regional Director for Africa Minshidiso Moeti will also arrive in Kinshasa over the weekend to attend a coordination meeting on this public health emergency with a view to providing all the necessary support by the organization to the DRC.

Three deaths have been reported among nine suspected cases of the Ebola virus since April 22 in the Likati health zone, with a fatality rate of 33.3 percent, according to a government report on Thursday.

The epicenter of the epidemic is the Nambwa Health Area, around 130km from Buta, capital of the Bas-Uele province, which shares the border with the Central African Republic. Endit