5 patients recover from Ebola in DR Congo

Four nurses being treated for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been discharged from a hospital in Bunia after recovering from the disease, the World Health Organization announced Sunday. A laboratory worker had also recovered earlier in the week, bringing the total number of survivors to five.

Health officials anticipate more recoveries, particularly as individuals receive early diagnoses and access to care, and as the response to the outbreak intensifies. The WHO declared the current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus in the DRC and Uganda, a public health emergency of international concern earlier this month. While it does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, the declaration highlights the seriousness of the situation.

Despite the recoveries, the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country has climbed to 282, with 42 deaths. This increase follows the recording of 19 new positive test results. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, during a visit to Bunia, acknowledged that while there is no licensed vaccine or treatment for this specific strain, recovery is possible with good medical care. Suspected cases have also been reported in Brazil and Italy, linked to travel from affected nations.

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it is not without hope