Ebola cases in Congo rise as authorities race to contain spread of outbreak, health agency says

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KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — The number of suspected Ebola cases in Congo's southern Kasai province have more than doubled in a week since a new outbreak was confirmed there, Africa’s top public health agency said Thursday.

The suspected cases have increased from 28 to 68 in recent days, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at an online briefing. It has also spread from two to four districts while the death toll currently stands at 16.

Local residents expressed concerns on Thursday over the outbreak, the first in Congo in three years and the province’s first in more than a decade.

The Kasai province is a remote part of Congo with poor road networks and is more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from the nation's capital of Kinshasa.

In addition, fighting in eastern Congo could complicate efforts to contain the disease, which can spread rapidly due to the proximity and density of villages and provinces, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, a principal advisor with Africa CDC, said at the briefing.

“It was two (districts), now it is four,” Ngongo said.

The outbreak was announced a week ago after a pregnant woman was confirmed to have been infected in the locality of Bulapé.

The World Health Organization sent experts alongside Congo’s Rapid Response Team to Kasai to strengthen disease surveillance, offer treatment and monitor infection prevention and controls.

The Central African country has a history of Ebola since 1976. The latest outbreak is the 16th in the country and the 7th in the Kasai province. A previous outbreak between 2018 and 2020 in eastern Congo killed more than 1,000 people.

Local authorities in Kasai are trying to contain the outbreak. Public movements have been curtailed and checkpoints have been set up at the main entrances to Tshikapa, the capital of the province, authorities said.

Emmanuel Kalonji, 37, a resident of Tshikapa, told The Associated Press that some people had fled the villages before returning. “However, given the limited resources, survival is not guaranteed,” said Kalonji.

In Bulape, people are concerned about the impact on their living conditions, said Ethienne Makashi, the local official in charge of water, hygiene and sanitation.

“However, we do have one case showing good progress, which gives a glimmer of hope for those receiving care,” said Makashi.

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Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria