The World Health Organization (WHO) is worried about the state of the current outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It said on Monday that it intends holding an emergency committee meeting to decide whether the outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern.
More cases are being confirmed by health officials in the central African country, with death toll rising. More than 200 people have been infected by the virus, according to the DR Congo health ministry.
The ministry said on Monday that 33 people were confirmed with Ebola virus just within last week and 24 of them died.
Last week a U.N worker in the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus. The worker serves as a plumber for the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in eastern DR Congo.
There are concerns the outbreak could spread to neighboring countries like Uganda and Rwanda. Fighting the outbreak is also becoming challenging due to increase in conflicts in part of the country.
In some instances health workers have been chased out by residents who reject the existence of the virus.
The Ebola virus which is transmitted by bats. It was first discovered in DRC in 1976 and named after the Ebola river. Ebola leads to internal and external bleeding which can cause damage done to blood vessels.
Source: Africafeeds.com
