By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The measles outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues from 2019’s large outbreak.

Image/CDC

During the first 12 weeks of 2020, a total of 42,143 suspected cases have been reported, with 527 deaths (case fatality ratio 1.3%).

As of 22 March 2020, there has been a total of 353,551 cases and 6,558 deaths (case fatality ratio 1.9%) since the 31 December 2018.

The under-five age group remains the most affected across the country from week 1 to 12 of 2020, with 62.3% of cases.

The outbreak is still active in western and southern provinces in the health zones of Mongala, South and North Ubangi, Equateur, Maindombe, Kongo Central, Kasai, Kwilu and Sankuru. Some eastern provinces, including Haut Ulele, North and South Kivu and Tanganyika are also affected.

The World Health Organization says the ongoing measles outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo
is of grave concern, particularly as some vital response measures may be disrupted by lockdown measures during the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly in Kinshasa Province.

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Challenges continue around rapid organization of the immunization response in many provinces, lack of
free care for measles cases, lack of sampling kits, insufficient nutritional kits in some health areas and referral hospitals and inadequacies in managing complicated measles cases.

As focus shifts towards COVID-19 response measures, this serious and long-lasting outbreak must not be neglected.