Congo reports new Ebola case linked to previous outbreak

Aug 22, 2022, 7:38 PM | Updated: 7:40 pm

BENI, Congo (AP) — A new case of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in Congo’s eastern Beni city, Congo’s ministry of health announced Monday, saying it is linked to a previous outbreak.

Testing by a lab at the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Goma confirmed the case was the Ebola Zaire strain and was genetically linked to Congo’s 10th outbreak in Ituri and North Kivu provinces from 2018 to 2020 that killed more than 2,000 people, the ministry said.

The case involved a 46-year-old woman who was admitted to the Beni hospital in late July and died Aug. 15 after suffering symptoms associated with Ebola.

“Our team on site in Beni has carried out a dignified and secure burial and also decontaminated the hospital where the patient stayed,” the ministry said.

There are more than 130 high-risk contacts that have been identified, of which 71 have been seen. The others remain at large, the ministry said.

“We call on the population to calm down and to respect hygienic measures,” the ministry’s statement added.

Congo has recorded 14 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was discovered in the conflict-ridden country in 1976. The last outbreak from April to July took place in another region in Equateur province, killing five people.

Ebola is spread by contact with bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. However, the early symptoms of fever and muscle aches resemble those of other common diseases like malaria. In addition to vaccinations, there is now effective treatment available that, if received early, can improve chances of survival significantly.

This latest announcement in Beni comes as the region is under threat from various rebel groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces rebels who have killed more than 2,000 people in over a year, according to various rights groups.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

FILE - Protesters stand outside of the Senate chamber at the Indiana Statehouse on Feb. 22, 2023, i...

Associated Press

LGBTQ+ Americans are under attack, Human Rights Campaign declares in state of emergency warning

The Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. on Tuesday.

2 days ago

FILE - People wait in line outside the Supreme Court in Washington to listen to oral arguments in a...

Associated Press

Supreme Court opened the door to states’ voting restrictions. Now a new ruling could widen them.

Within hours of a U.S. Supreme Court decision dismantling a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, Texas lawmakers announced plans to implement a strict voter ID law that had been blocked by a federal court. Lawmakers in Alabama said they would press forward with a similar law that had been on hold.

2 days ago

Gavel (Pexels Photo)...

Associated Press

Ex-teacher sentenced to prison for making death threat against Arizona legislator

A former Tucson middle school teacher was sentenced Tuesday to 2 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to making a death threat against Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers.

2 days ago

FILE - Police officers stand outside a Target store as a group of people protest across the street,...

Associated Press

Pride becomes a minefield for big companies, but many continue their support

Many big companies, including Target and Bud Light's parent, are still backing Pride events in June despite the minefield that the monthlong celebration has become for some of them.

3 days ago

FILE - Then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden plays music on a phone as he arrives to spe...

Associated Press

Biden, looking to shore up Hispanic support, faces pressure to get 2024 outreach details right

Joe Biden vowed in 2020 to work “like the devil” to energize Hispanic voters, and flew to Florida seven weeks before Election Day to do just that.

3 days ago

Editorial members of the Austin American-Statesman's Austin NewsGuild picket along the Congress Ave...

Associated Press

Correction: US-Gannett Walkout story

Journalists at two dozen local newspapers across the U.S. walked off the job Monday to demand an end to painful cost-cutting measures and a change of leadership at Gannett, the country's biggest newspaper chain.

3 days ago

Sponsored Articles

...

SANDERSON FORD

Thank you to Al McCoy for 51 years as voice of the Phoenix Suns

Sanderson Ford wants to share its thanks to Al McCoy for the impact he made in the Valley for more than a half-decade.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...

Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.

Congo reports new Ebola case linked to previous outbreak