New Delhi: News agency PTI reported on Monday (August 22, 2022), citing the Central African country’s Ministry of Health, that Congo has confirmed a new case of Ebola virus in its eastern city of Beni. The 46-year-old female patient, who was admitted to Beni Hospital in late July and died on August 15, is linked to a previous outbreak. Testing by a laboratory at the country’s National Institute for Biomedical Research in Goma on Monday confirmed that the case was the Ebola Zaire strain and genetically linked to the Congo’s 10th outbreak in Ituri and North Kivu provinces from 2018 to 2020, in which 2,000 More people were killed. , said PTI.
“Our team in Beni has conducted a dignified and safe funeral and also cleaned the hospital where the patient stayed,” the ministry was quoted as saying by PTI.
More than 130 high-risk contacts have been identified, of which 71 have been observed. Others remain at large, the ministry said.
“We call on the population to calm down and respect hygienic measures,” the ministry said.
What is Ebola virus?
Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a serious, often fatal disease affecting humans and other primates. The virus is transmitted from wild animals such as fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates to people, and then into human populations through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials. Is. contaminated with these liquids.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%.
The first Ebola virus disease outbreak was recorded in 1976 in remote villages in central Africa, near tropical rainforests. The 2014–2016 outbreak was the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak in West Africa since the virus was first discovered.
According to the WHO, this outbreak has had more cases and deaths than all others.
It is believed that fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts.
Symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease?
Symptoms of Ebola virus disease include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache and sore throat.
This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, signs of impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases internal and external bleeding (such as bleeding gums, blood in the stool).
The incubation period is from 2 to 21 days.
(with agency input)