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DRC records new Ebola case days before outbreak's expected end

April 10, 2020 5:52 PM

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has confirmed a new case of Ebola.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of World Health Organisation (WHO)

The confirmation of the new case is coming just two days to the declaration of an end to the 20-month outbreak.

The country's health ministry stated that the new case was confirmed in Beni, a town at the heart of the epidemic in eastern DRC.

The health ministry added that the patient was a 26-year-old man.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a Twitter post that "After 52 days without a case, surveillance & response teams on the ground have confirmed a new case. We have been preparing for and expecting more cases,"

"Unfortunately, this means the government of DRC will not be able to declare an end to the Ebola outbreak on Monday, as hoped. But WHO remains on the ground and committed as ever to working with the government, affected communities and our partners to end the outbreak,” he added.

Until Friday (April 10, 2020), no new cases had been registered since February 17.

DRC had scheduled to declare an end to the outbreak on Sunday (April 12, 2020).

Ebola emerged in August 2018 and has since killed more than 2,200 people.