Although the number of cases continues to grow and the number of deaths have passed 500, the vaccination program against the ongoing ebola outbreak in the North Kivu province of the DRC is proving successful, according to health workers. 76,525 people have reportedly been vaccinated, preventing what the government health ministry estimates as “thousands” of deaths. “I believe we have prevented the spread of the epidemic in the big cities,” stated the health minister. “The teams also managed to contain the spread of the epidemic to neighboring countries [where] the biggest problem is the high mobility of the population.” Rwanda, Uganda, and South Sudan have remained on alert, but no cases have been found beyond North Kivu in the DRC. This outbreak is the 10th in the DRC since 1976, but has become the country’s deadliest and the world’s second-deadliest outbreak.
Source: Ebola death toll in DR Congo passes 500: Health ministry | DR Congo News | Al Jazeera
