NewsDesk @bactiman63

In a follow-up on the 14th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (HERE and HERE), the World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted today:

outbreak
Image/CDC

Health authorities in #DRC confirmed a 2nd case of #Ebola in Mbandaka on 25 April. The 25-year old woman, now deceased, began experiencing symptoms 12 days earlier. Investigations indicate that as the 1st case patient’s sister-in-law, she was a high-risk contact.

Responders are working to quickly identify & monitor anyone who interacted with her.

At least 145 people came into contact with the confirmed cases. Their health is being closely monitored.

According to DRC media, WHO recommends the use of stocks of the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine available in Goma and Kinshasa to enable the rapid start of this vaccination campaign.

“Vaccination should start in the next few days. The country already has stocks of rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine available in the cities of Goma and Kinshasa. The vaccines will be sent to Mbandaka and administered according to the ring vaccination strategy where contacts and contacts of contacts will be vaccinated to curb the spread of the virus and protect lives,” the WHO adds.