By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

The World Health Organization (WHO) released some additional details on the current, 13th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today:

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Butsili Health Area (HA), Beni Health Zone (HZ) continues with one new confirmed case reported in the past week. The case is a 24 years-old male from Butsili Health Area and a known contact under follow-up.

As of 23 October 2021, a total of six confirmed cases of EVD have been reported in Beni HZ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with three deaths (case fatality ratio 50.0%), including two community deaths. Among the confirmed cases, 33.3% (2/6) are children under five-years of age. All the six confirmed cases have been reported from Butsili HA.

Since the confirmation of the EVD outbreak in Beni HZ, a total of 544 contacts have been listed, of which 478 (87.9.0%) are under follow up, 54 (9.9%) contacts had never been seen, and one contact is lost to follow-up. Of the contacts under follow up, seven became suspects including five in Butsili HA, one in Mabakanga HA and one in Ngongolio HA. All the suspect cases are currently under isolation at Beni Hospital.

Since the start of vaccination on 13 October 2021, 229 people (including 59 primary care providers) have been vaccinated: 84 contacts of contacts, 96 probable contacts and 49 high risk contacts.

A swab sample of the known index case was sequenced and initial findings indicate that this outbreak likely represents a new flare-up of the 2018-2020 Nord Kivu/Ituri EVD outbreak, initiated by transmission from a persistently infected survivor or a survivor who experienced relapse. Further epidemiologic investigations are ongoing to determine the source.