DRC: New Ebola death confirmed as country prepares to declare end of epidemic
10 April 2020 – Just two days before the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was due to announce the end of the latest Ebola outbreak, the Government has confirmed the death of a 26-year old man due to Ebola in Beni, eastern DRC.
“We are very saddened by this news, just two days before the government was set to mark an important milestone in the fight against this deadly epidemic. UNICEF is still very much on the ground in the areas touched by Ebola, including Beni. We support teams conducting decontamination of the home of the confirmed case and continue to work closely with the health authorities and partners to provide support to the affected families and their children. This new case also confirms the importance of providing long term support to affected populations and mitigate the risks of any resurgence of the virus”, said UNICEF DRC Representative Edouard Beigbeder.
The outbreak, which began in August 2018 and spread to three provinces in eastern DRC, is the world’s second deadliest. It killed 2,130 people and infected 3,310. Children are hit the hardest, as they make up 30 per cent of all cases, compared to about 20 per cent in previous epidemics.
For more information contact:
Unicef UK Media Team, 0207 375 6030, [email protected]
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