Ebola outbreak in Congo grows to 47 cases

Dec 9, 2003 (CIDRAP News) – The Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreak in the Congo increased to a total of 47 cases with 18 deaths last week, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO first confirmed the outbreak Nov 17, when 11 cases, all fatal, were reported. The WHO's latest update, issued Dec 3, reported 11 new cases and 10 deaths since the previous update on Nov 25. The outbreak is in the Mbomo District of the Cuvette Ouest Department, in the northwestern part of the Congo.

WHO officials said 97 contacts of Ebola patients were being followed up. A team of experts from WHO headquarters in Geneva and the WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network joined a WHO team already in the outbreak area to help with surveillance, containment, and diagnostic efforts, the organization said.

See also:

WHO news release
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2003_12_03/en/print.html