DR Congo: Over 1,000 people vaccinated for Ebola

By Godfrey Olukya

ARU, Democratic Republic of Congo (AA) - Over 1,100 people have been vaccinated against Ebola hemorrhagic fever in a western province of Democratic Republic of Congo since May 21, officials said Monday.

The vaccination targeted affected areas in the western Equateur province, including Mbandaka, where 567 people were vaccinated, Bikoro (269), and Iboko (276), said the country’s Public Health Ministry in a statement.

“Over 1,000 people have been vaccinated. The exercise has targeted health professionals working on Ebola victims, confirmed case contacts, and contacts,” said the ministry’s Abel Bogole.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the ministry announced on May 8 that there were confirmed cases of Ebola in the country.

So far over 25 people have died from Ebola in the country, while over 50 cases of the disease have been confirmed.

This is not the first time Ebola has hit Democratic Republic of Congo, regularly ranked as one of the world’s poorest countries. The latest outbreaks were in 2012, killing four people, in 2014, killing 49, and in 2017, killing four.