The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues. Since the beginning of the outbreak (on 4 April 2018), a total of 52 suspected EVD cases and 22 deaths (case fatality rate 42.3%) have been reported, as of 23 May 2018.
Of the 52 cases, 31 have been laboratory confirmed, 13 probable (deaths for which biological samples were not obtained) and eight suspected cases. About 55% (17) of the confirmed cases came from Iboko, followed by Bikoro (10 cases, 32%) and Wangata (4). A total of five healthcare workers have been affected, with four confirmed cases and two deaths.
The DRC Ministry of Health, WHO and partners carried out data cleaning and reclassification of cases and deaths, following ongoing epidemiologic and laboratory investigations. The investigations invalidated eight of the initial 17 historical probable cases reported in Bikoro.
This is the ninth EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the last four decades, with the most recent one occurring in May 2017.
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