Dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) reportedly broke out in Bikoro, Equateur Province, North-west region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to reports from Congo's Ministry of Health, on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, about 17 deaths have so far been recorded and two confirmed cases.
According to the Health Ministry, two out of five samples collected at the Institut Natinal de Recharche Biomedicale (INRB), Kinshasa, from patients, tested positive for Ebola Virus Disease.
More samples are reportedly being collected for testing, Government of DRC told WHO.
World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statement says it is working "closely with the Government of the DRC to rapidly scale up its operations and mobilize health partners using the model of a successful response to a similar EVD outbreak in 2017."
To curb further spread of the EVD to neighbouring provinces and countries, , WHO reportedly released financial aid to the tune of US$1 million, from its contingency Fund for Emergencies to support response activities for the next three months, with