November 19, 2020

Anna Murray 

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, twittered November 18 and announced that the Ebola outbreak in Equateur Province of Congo is finally over. The Democratic Republic of Congo has encountered its latest Ebola outbreak in North Kivu since June. 

The latest case, the 11th Ebola Outbreak, reportedly had 130 infections confirmed and caused 55 deaths. According to the records of Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ebola pandemic had killed more than 2,200 people.

The WHO applauded Congo's efforts in ending its latest Ebola outbreak. The success attributed to Congo's use of new cold chain freezer storage with no electricity. The Ebola vaccine can be stored at extremely low temperatures for one week, allowing health care staff to vaccinate local people in remote communities.

However, WHO's health officials urged Congo for maintaining persistent vigilance and strong surveillance as a reminder for governments and partners continue to focus attention on other emergencies such as the ongoing deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo:Webshot.