Ebola makes a comeback in the Republic of Congo — which is already fighting the coronavirus and the world's largest outbreak of measles

• A new outbreak of the Ebola virus has been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo as per the World Health Organisation (WHO).
  
• The African country, while battling the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is also home to the world’s largest measles outbreak.
  
• The WHO expects more outbreaks of Ebola to emerge in the Republic of Congo in the coming months.
  

A new outbreak of the Ebola virus has been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) comes at the time the African country is already battling the coronavirus pandemic and the world’s largest measles outbreak.


The Ebola virus resurgence has been reported in the Wangata health zone of Mbandaka. So for six cases have been detected of which four have already been reported dead and two are under medical care. “It is likely more people will be identified as surveillance activities increase,” the WHO said in its report.

This is the 11th outbreak of Ebola reported in the Republic of Congo since the virus was first detected in 1976. For Mbandaka and its surrounding districts, it is the 9th incident between May to July 2018.

The country’s Ministry of Health had early announced the initiation of the 42-day countdown to declare the end of the last Ebola outbreak reported in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces on 14 May 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic isn’t the only battle the world faces
“This is a reminder that COVID-19 is not he only health threat that people face,” said WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The world’s leading health agency expects more outbreaks of Ebola to emerge in the Republic of Congo in the coming months. It believes the existence of the virus in animal reservoirs of the country puts at risk.

Even in India, with the upcoming monsoon, doctors believe that the country will have to battle annual disease like malaria, dengue and chikungunya along with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “India has proven its dedication to ending malaria, reflected through the diverse involvement in malaria programs of political, government leadership, community leaders and civil society,” said Sanjeev Gaikwad, India’s country director of Malaria No More.

According to the WHO, India has the 5th fifth highest incidence of malaria cases in the world. It reported as many as 430,000 cases of the disease in 2018. However, this time around the country is busy battling the outbreak of coronavirus as numbers continue to rise and experts are uncertain is the requisite precautionary measures against malaria will get any attention.

“If these effective programs could start immediately, and safely, after the lockdown is lifted and before the onset of the monsoon rains in early June, India’s progress against malaria can be maintained,” he Gaikwad.

SEE ALSO: