WARNING!!! 65 Dies In Fresh Ebola Outbreak In DR Congo
A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) announced the development in a statement on Friday.
“Some 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported, and “four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases,” the statement said.
“Ebola Virus Disease outbreak confirmed in Ituri Province.
“Africa CDC is closely monitoring the situation and convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting today with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response efforts,” the pan-African health agency said.
First identified in 1976 and thought to have crossed over from bats, Ebola is a deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.
The highly contagious haemorrhagic fever has killed some 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.
The deadliest Ebola outbreak in the DRC, between 2018 and 2020, killed nearly 2,300 people.
Meanwhile, three members of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Ekiti Local Government branch, Kwara State, have died in a lone road accident along the Oke-Onigbin–Omu-Aran highway.
TGM reports that the accident, which involved a commercial Mazda bus with registration number ARP627KY, occurred around 3pm while the victims were returning from the Workers’ Day celebration in Ilorin.
The crash also left other occupants of the vehicle injured.
Confirming the incident to journalists in Ilorin on Saturday, the Kwara State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kabir Kazeem, said the crash was caused by speeding.
Kazeem said seven people were involved in the accident, including three males and four females
He said, “The crash was a lone accident involving a Mazda commercial bus with registration number ARP627KY. It occurred as a result of speeding.
“Seven persons were involved in the crash, three males and four females. Unfortunately, three of the female occupants lost their lives on the spot.”
According to him, preliminary findings showed that one of the vehicle’s tyres burst while the bus was on high speed, causing the driver to lose control.
Kazeem added, “The driver lost control after one of the tyres burst while the vehicle was speeding, which led to the crash.”
The FRSC sector commander said rescue officials were immediately deployed to the scene after the crash.
He noted that the injured victims were evacuated alongside the bodies of the deceased to a hospital in Omu-Aran for further attention.
Kazeem urged drivers to obey speed limits and carry out regular vehicle maintenance, especially checks on tyres before embarking on trips.
He also advised passengers to speak up whenever drivers engage in reckless driving, saying such caution could prevent avoidable deaths on the road.
The Chairman of Ekiti Local Government Area, Awelewa Gabriel, described the incident as a devastating loss to the council and the health community.
Gabriel said the deceased were dedicated health workers who died while returning from a national celebration.
He said, “Our hearts are heavy over this tragedy. These were committed health workers who were returning from a national celebration, only to meet their untimely death on the road.”
The council chairman assured that the local government would collaborate with relevant authorities to support the families of the deceased and assist the injured in their recovery.
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, also expressed sorrow over the death of the health workers.
Elelu described the incident as a painful blow to the state’s health system.
She said the deceased were among personnel who had been actively contributing to the ongoing polio immunisation campaign in Kwara State.
She said, “We are deeply saddened by this heartbreaking incident. These were committed officers who contributed immensely to the success of the ongoing polio immunisation exercise, serving their communities with dedication. Their sudden loss is a painful blow to all of us.”
Elelu added that the injured victims were receiving treatment in the hospital. The incident has thrown the Medical and Health Workers’ Union, Ekiti Local Government Area, and the state health sector into mourning.
