In an update on the Ebola virus disease situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN health officials report a 2nd of the five samples tested was positive for Ebola virus of the Zaire sub-type using a technique call polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

The outbreak is situated in Likati, Bas Uele province located in the northern part of the country. Likati health zone shares borders with two provinces in DRC and with the Central African Republic. The affected areas are remote and hard-to-reach with limited communication and transport networks.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

As of May 15, a total of 19 patients suspected to have Ebola including 3 deaths (death rate of 15.8%) have been reported. The cases reported are from three areas, namely Nambwa (10 cases and 2 deaths), Mouma (3 cases and 1 death) and Ngay (6 cases and no death). A total of 125 close contacts have been identified and are being followed up on a daily basis.

Six suspected Ebola patients are hospitalized and being treated.

As this is a rapidly changing situation, the number of reported cases and deaths, contacts under medical observation and the number of laboratory results are subject to change due to enhanced surveillance and contact tracing activities, ongoing laboratory investigations and consolidation of case, contact and laboratory data, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

A national multidisciplinary investigation team of 10 experts was deployed over the weekend to conduct in depth investigation including active case search, review of health facility records and establishment of community-based surveillance.

This is the 8th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the disease was first discovered in 1976 in Yambuku, DRC.

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