At least 131 deaths and over 500 suspected cases have been reported in the outbreak in eastern Congo with an American among those who have tested positive
More than 130 people are believed to have died and there have been more than 500 suspected cases in the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, the country’s health ministry has said in a shocking update.
And US President Donald Trump says he is “concerned” after an American was among those who tested positive for it.
Samuel Roger Kamba, the Congolese minister of public health, said: “513 suspected cases and 131 deaths have been recorded in the affected areas.
“These are suspected deaths, and investigations are underway to determine which ones are actually linked to the disease.”
The WHO has declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Asked if he was concerned about the Ebola outbreak, Trump said: “I’m concerned about everything, but certainly [I] am.”
“I think that it’s been confined right now to Africa, and but it’s something that has had a breakout,” he said of the disease.
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Health authorities say the outbreak, first confirmed on Friday, is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare variant of the Ebola disease that has no approved therapeutics or vaccines. Although more than 20 Ebola outbreaks have taken place in Congo and Uganda, this is only the third time that the Bundibugyo virus has been detected.
Cases have now been confirmed in Bunia, North Kivu’s rebel-held capital of Goma, Mongbwalu, Butembo, and Nyakunde. The World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in Geneva on Tuesday that he is “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic” and the UN health agency will convene its emergency committee to advise on recommendations.
