Health officials have declared another outbreak of Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, just one week after declaring the outbreak over in the northwest part of the country.
Congo’s health ministry confirmed publicly on Wednesday that four people have tested positive for Ebola in North Kivu province, which is near the border with Uganda and more than 1,550 miles from the previous outbreak. An additional 20 have hemorrhagic fever, one of the symptoms of the illness that affects blood clotting.
“I call for calm and prudence,” North Kivu Gov. Julien Paluku wrote in French on Twitter.
Urgent!!!!Urgent!!!!! VIRUS à EBOLA confirmé en province du Nord Kivu, Territoire de BENI, agglomération de MANGINA. Le Min de la Santé vient de l’annoncer après confirmation des analyses à L’INRB. J’en appelle au calme et à la prudence. Les médias doivent faire large diffusion
— JULIEN PALUKU (@julienpalukucom) August 1, 2018
Global health officials had used an experimental vaccine during the previous outbreak to prevent the virus from becoming an epidemic. During the previous outbreak 33 people died and another 21 became ill.
The virus is spread through direct contact with people who are infected, causing body aches, bleeding, vomiting, and diarrhea. It also can be transmitted through sex and has been found in studies to remain in semen for more than two years.
