DR Congo Declares 14th Ebola Outbreak over

The most recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was proclaimed to be over on Monday.

The most recent outbreak, which took place in Mbandaka, was the third Ebola outbreak to occur there since 2018 and the 14th nationwide at that time.

The World Health Organization (WHO) credited partner support, national emergency teams, and the DR Congo's Ebola control expertise for the outbreak's victory.

The outbreak, which was declared on April 23, was viewed as a setback in the nation, which had undertaken a significant effort to combat the deadly disease.

"Thanks to the robust response by the national authorities, this outbreak has been brought to an end swiftly with limited transmission of the virus," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa.

"Crucial lessons have been learned from past outbreaks and they have been applied to devise and deploy an ever more effective Ebola response."

According to the WHO, 2,104 people—including 302 contacts and 1,307 frontline workers—were immunised against the outbreak that has recently concluded.

Dr. Moeti urged increased monitoring and action in Africa against newly emerging diseases to prevent fatalities.

"Africa is seeing an increase in Ebola and other infectious diseases that jump from animals to humans impacting large urban areas," he said.

"We need to be ever more vigilant to ensure we catch cases quickly. This outbreak response shows that by bolstering preparedness, disease surveillance and swift detection, we can stay a step ahead."