The 11th outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has officially come to an end, and the country has been declared Ebola-free once again.
The outbreak which had spread along the many water bodies of Équateur province, had started just before the end of another deadly outbreak elsewhere in the country which had claimed 2280 lives. This marks the first time in nearly three years that the DRC has been Ebola-free. Logistical challenges in the geographically remote Équateur province hampered efforts to control the latest outbreak.
Experts believe that international involvement was key to bringing the situation under control. The WHO also noted that “women leaders [who] were often at the forefront of the response, empowering other women with information”.
The Secretary-General of DRC’s Red Cross, Jacques Katshishi, said the country needs continued support from the international community. He said, “Bringing Ebola to zero is a huge achievement, but now we are faced with our next challenge: keeping it there. Our teams within the DRC Red Cross are facing Covid-19 within a complex humanitarian and security environment. This is not a moment to be complacent: the world cannot afford a resurgence of Ebola in DR Congo. The time to prepare is now.”
Source: The Guardian
