HomeAfricaEbola Claims Over 300 Children in DRC 

Ebola Claims Over 300 Children in DRC 

More than 300 children have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the outbreak began, according to the United Nations.

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, citing UNICEF figures, said children account for nearly a quarter of confirmed Ebola cases and almost one-third of reported deaths.

The outbreak, which is concentrated in eastern DRC, has recorded more than 4,000 cases and 1,850 deaths, with health authorities warning that it continues to spread rapidly.

READ ALSO: WHO Calls For Urgent Ebola Response In DRC

The outbreak has also disrupted access to essential healthcare, with the use of health services declining by more than 40 per cent in the worst-affected areas in recent months, as fear of infection keeps people away from health facilities.

Pregnant women have also been severely affected by the outbreak.

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), maternal deaths in Ituri Province have nearly doubled since the outbreak began, with about six women dying every week from childbirth-related complications.

The UNFPA also said Ebola infection during pregnancy remains associated with an extremely high risk of fetal loss.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on Vaccine Research has recommended a clinical trial in the DRC to assess the Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo virus.

Ervebo is currently the only licensed vaccine against Ebola, and the WHO said it was working with partners to begin the trial as soon as possible.

During a visit to Ituri Province earlier this week, the epicentre of the outbreak, the WHO called for an urgent expansion of community-led response efforts, including stronger early detection, contact tracing and improved access to healthcare.

To address fear and misinformation, about 13,000 community workers have been deployed by the DRC Ministry of Public Health, WHO, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), UNICEF and other partners.

The workers have reached more than 2.4 million people with information on Ebola prevention and early detection, while conducting more than 500,000 household visits.

 

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