Coronavirus in the DRC: Professor Muyembe explains how Kinshasa is preparing the response

Text by: Caroline Paré Follow | Ophélie Lahccen

In 1976, Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe was one of those who discovered the Ebola virus. In 2019, he found a cure for hemorrhagic fever. It is on his experience that the Congolese authorities rely to confront the Covid-19. Interview.

Publicity

Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe is the director general of the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa. In March 2020, he was appointed by President Félix Tshisekedi national coordinator of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Thursday, April 2, he was the guest of the program Priorité santé , on RFI.

► Read also: Debates on the measures to be taken to fight against the coronavirus in Kinshasa

RFI: What is the current situation in Kinshasa?

Prof. Jean-Jacques Muyembe: In the DRC, we had two months of preparation, from January to February. The first case was detected on March 9: it was a traveler returning from France.

Today [Thursday, April 2 in the morning, note], we have 123 cases and have declared 11 deaths. The most affected area is the city of Kinshasa, which accounts for most of the cases. Three provinces are also affected: North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri. These eastern provinces are in their first cases.

What happens when a resident tests positive for Covid-19?

For the moment, the most affected household is the commune of Gombe, in Kinshasa where VIPs, people who have traveled are located. If the case is mild, we ask that the patient be kept in voluntary isolation at home. He is then followed by the care teams. If the case is serious, it is therefore taken to a treatment center. We have chosen certain pavilions from existing hospitals. Private hospitals are also part of our care team.

The safety of caregivers is paramount. What measures are taken by the Congolese health authorities to protect them?

All wear masks to prevent the spread of the virus in the environment. Some also wear full protective clothing.

In terms of measures, strategies of the authorities, what decisions have been made?

The country is completely in isolation. We have received directives from the President of the Republic, particularly in terms of social distancing, hand hygiene ... Unfortunately, within the population, not everyone believes in the disease.

What about containment?

We seek to set up either a selective confinement of the commune of Gombe, or a general confinement for the whole city of Kinshasa.

When will this decision be made?

Normally, the containment of the Gombe was planned for tomorrow (Friday April 3). We encounter some problems of harmonization. It will therefore be effective very soon. We are even thinking of extending this confinement to the entire city of Kinshasa. [The confinement of the Gombe from April 6 to 20 was well decided yesterday Thursday, April 2, note]

You were about to announce that you have won the battle against Ebola in the east of the country on April 12. You are one of the first researchers to take care of patients infected with this other emerging disease. There is also an epidemic of measles in the country, to which is added today the arrival of Covid-19. Do you have enough help and means to cope with a new epidemic?

For us, it is a health disaster. Especially since we are emerging from two epidemics of Ebola virus disease. These are the same teams that we will use so fatigue is felt, there is overwork. With the current situation, international partners have problems in their own countries. Above all, we must rely on our own strength, but also on the organization and discipline of the people.

Our selection on SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus

• Listen to Infos coronavirus , our daily chronicle on the pandemic

• Analysis - What strategies to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic?

• Practical questions:
→ What is the lifespan of the virus?
→ Who are the vulnerable people ?
→ Quarantine, what are we talking about ?
→ How do you treat Covid-19 patients?
→ How the Institut Pasteur hopes to find a vaccine

• Doctors' answers to your questions about the Covid-19

Find all our articles, reports, chronicles and programs on the coronavirus by clicking here .

See also our contents on containment .

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Coronavirus
• Ground floor
• Africa
• Health and Medicine
• our selection

On the same subject

DRC: debates on the measures to be taken to fight against the coronavirus in Kinshasa

Coronavirus: in DRC, medical staff, in lack of equipment, worried

REPORT

Coronavirus in the DRC: the preparation of the Kinshasa in the face of aborted total containment