By Nearly three months after the outbreak was declared over in the Central African country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced a new case of the Ebola virus.
This development comes at a period where countries across the world are still grappling with the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, its accompanying effect on the healthcare system, and the ongoing quest for vaccines.
With about 24,600 recorded cases and 681 COVID-19 related deaths, the unexpected resurgence of Ebola could threaten the DRC’s response to the pandemic.
According to the DRC ministry of health in a statement on Sunday, the patient who contracted the virus in Butembo, a city in North Kivu province — which was one the epicentres of the previous Ebola outbreak — has since died.
However, the World Health Organisation has said it is “not unusual for sporadic cases to occur following a major outbreak.”
In a statement, WHO regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said more than 70 contacts of the deceased have been identified, adding that its epidemiologists are on the ground investigating the case.
“The expertise and capacity of local health teams has been critical in detecting this new Ebola case and paving the way for a timely response.
“WHO is providing support to local and national health authorities to quickly trace, identify and treat the contacts to curtail the further spread of the virus,” the statement said.
