A health official in the remote town of Bulape, Democratic Republic of Congo, announced on Thursday that significant progress has been made in controlling the Ebola outbreak that has affected the area for over a month.
Authorities in Congo first declared the outbreak in Kasai province on September 4, marking the region’s first Ebola epidemic in 18 years.
According to health workers involved in the response, the coordinated efforts by the government and aid partners are now yielding visible results.
“Mobilisation at the national level, along with the support from various partners and humanitarian organisations, has made it possible to bring this epidemic under control,” said Jean-Paul Mbantshi, chief medical officer of the Bulape health zone.
“I believe that within a few days, we may not even have any contacts left to trace,” he added confidently.
On Wednesday, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that as of mid-October, only one confirmed patient remained under treatment in Bulape.
Although the response started slowly due to funding and resource shortages, authorities and aid groups have recently delivered vital medical supplies, including vaccines, to the affected areas.
“The situation now looks encouraging. With vaccines finally available, we are hopeful that the outbreak is being contained,” said Bulape village chief Sylvain Bidiaka.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that as of October 12, a total of 64 cases and 45 deaths had been recorded in Kasai province.
