Nature ‘Spillover event’ in which an animal infected humans is likely to be the cause of 47 confirmed cases and 25 deaths. An outbreak of Ebola has been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with 47 confirmed cases, including 25 deaths, as of yesterday, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). There are also a probable 10 additional cases and deaths, the WHO says.
On 4 September, the DRC’s Ministry of Health confirmed that the outbreak was caused by the Zaire ebolavirus, the most dangerous and common of Ebola virus strains, which was also responsible for the 2014–16 outbreak in West Africa.
The WHO has issued a call for US$21 million to support the response of the DRC’s government. The agency says that priorities are sending health workers to affected communities, identifying cases as early as possible, increasing community engagement, providing treatment and reducing transmission.