The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated on Thursday April 28 that it could not rule out a risk of regional and international transmission of the Ebola virus following a new epidemic of this haemorrhagic fever in Mbandaka, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).

The resurgence of the virus in this city in the north-west of the country has killed two people since April 21.

As of April 27, "267 contacts have been identified", according to the WHO which judges, at this stage, "difficult to assess the extent of the epidemic".

"The risk of regional and international spread of this epidemic is not excluded because the city of Mbandaka borders the Congo River and has river and land connections with the capital Kinshasa, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and Angola" , the WHO said in a statement.

In addition, adds the WHO, Mbandaka has air links with the province of Sud-Ubangi, which borders the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, and with Kinshasa.

No travel restrictions

But the WHO currently qualifies the risk as "moderate" at the regional level and "low" at the international level.

The UN agency does not recommend any restrictions on travel and trade to DR Congo.

The risk of spread in DR Congo is considered "high" due to the presence of animal reservoirs and intermediate hosts, the high frequency of Ebola epidemics in the country, environmental factors and a weakened health system. by ongoing epidemics of cholera, measles and Covid-19, among others.

This is the 14th Ebola outbreak in DR Congo since 1976.

According to the organization, 200 doses of vaccine have been sent to Mbandaka.

Vaccination began on April 27.

Other doses will be shipped as needed.

First identified in 1976 in DR Congo (ex-Zaire), the Ebola virus is transmitted to humans by infected animals.

Human transmission is through body fluids, with the main symptoms of fever, vomiting, bleeding, diarrhea.

With AFP

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