NewsDesk @bactiman63

The head of the Kasaï-Oriental provincial health division (DPS), Doctor Nestor Tshiteku said this week the number of measles cases has increased significantly in the province even in health zones where vaccination days were organized in April and May.

Image/CDC

Doctor Tshiteku also adds that only seven health zones out of the 19 in the province of Kasai-Oriental have been able to vaccinate children, but the number of cases continues to increase.

“The situation is getting worse and worse. We are witnessing an increase in the number of cases in recent days. We are around more than 6,000 recorded cases of measles, including around fifty deaths. All health zones are affected by this disease,” said Doctor Nestor Tshiteku.

To explain the resurgence of this disease, the head of the provincial health division affirms that the coverage of routine vaccinations up to 90% has not been achieved due to lack of means and inputs which are lacking to date.

What is serious is that for the moment, even in the health zones where we had to vaccinate, the disease has returned with force. Until then, we have not received any vaccines to ensure care and if necessary organize a vaccination campaign throughout the province ,” he continued.

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It should be recalled that the measles epidemic resurfaced in the province of Kasaï-Oriental last February.

Nationally, the DRC has reported 82,632 total measles cases since the beginning of the year, including 1,120 deaths.