DRC - Plague outbreak 2024

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Ituri: more than 50 cases of bubonic plague including 5 deaths recorded in Kwandroma

Published on Tue, 02/20/2024 - 6:20 p.m. | Modified on Tue, 02/20/2024 - 6:20 p.m.


Around fifty cases of bubonic plague including 5 deaths have been recorded since last week in the Rety health zone, approximately 100 kilometers north of the town of Bunia, territory of Djugu (Ituri).

The first case was reported in the community on February 8.

According to local sources, among the patients, there are around ten students from Kpandroma primary school who showed symptoms of this illness during classes.

Community leaders in the area are pleading for treatment of this disease which is spreading rapidly in the area.

Thirteen students, including two from kindergarten, fainted last Monday during class in a primary school in Kpandroma in the Rety health zone in the Walendu Pitsi chiefdom.

They were showing symptoms of the plague.

These children were urgently transferred to the hospital where they are receiving treatment. This Tuesday morning, 5 other people showed symptoms of this disease, local sources indicate.

These figures bring to 52 the number of people affected by this disease, 5 of whom have already died and around twenty others under treatment since the beginning of February.

The notables of this entity say they are worried about the resurgence of this disease and invite the authorities to carry out door-to-door vaccination.

In the meantime, health authorities are urging the population of this area to strengthen hygiene measures to fight against rats, the main vectors of this endemic disease in the region.

https://www.radiookapi.net/2024/02/20/actualite/sante/ituri-plus-de-50-cas-de-peste-bubonique-dont-5-deces-enregistres

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Bubonic plague in Ituri: school activities suspended in certain schools in Djugu after contamination and death of students

Wednesday February 21, 2024 - 08:02

School activities have been suspended for three days in several schools in the entities of the Djugu territory, including Kpandroma, Rethy and surrounding areas (Ituri), in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. For good reason, the authorities have decided to protect students against the bubonic plague epidemic raging in the Rethy health zone. At least 13 students have been affected by the disease since January 8, according to health authorities. Three of them died.

"The central office of the rural health zone of Rethy informs the population of Kpandroma, Rethy and its surroundings that the health zone of Rethy is currently in the period of the plague epidemic. We note that the cases continue to come regularly to the surrounding health establishments. The Kpandroma primary school has sent many cases of students with symptoms of plague whose laboratory examinations came out positive", underlines a press release signed by Dr Jean de Dieu Dheda Bulo, head doctor of the Rethy health zone.

The health zone is preparing to disinfect schools where positive cases of bubonic plague have been reported.

"The central office of the health zone in collaboration with the EPST Djugu 2 sub-division decides to suspend school activities for 3 days in anticipation of the protection of children from this scourge of the plague from this Tuesday 20 to Thursday 22 February 2024 "The schools targeted by the suspension of school activities are the nursery and primary schools Kpandroma, Shun, Apolo, EP 2 Kpandroma, Gola, Baidjo, Bwa, Mont-Bleus and Rethy", continues the press release which recommends to said schools the organization of large-scale maintenance work as soon as school activities resume on Friday, February 23.

As a reminder, on Monday February 19, 13 students including 4 boys and 9 girls from Kpandroma primary school tested positive for the plague and were taken into care. At this stage, three deaths have been reported among students.

Bubonic plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis. It can be spread through contact with infected fleas. Symptoms are swollen lymph nodes (sometimes as large as chicken eggs) in the groin, armpits, or neck. They may be sensitive and hot. Other symptoms may also appear such as fever, chills, headache, fatigue and muscle pain. Bubonic plague requires emergency hospitalization to administer treatment with powerful antibiotics.

Freddy Upar, in Bunia

https://actualite.cd/index.php/2024/02/21/peste-bubonique-en-ituri-les-activites-scolaires-suspendues-dans-certaines-ecoles-de

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Ituri: the plague epidemic rages

Writing BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF FEBRUARY 24, 2024

The epidemiological surveillance directorate of the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention published a report on Friday on the situation of plague cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It appears from this report that 131 cases of plague were recorded during the year 2023 in the DRC, including 18 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 13.74%.

This report also specifies that the most affected province is Ituri, in the northeast of the country.

The plague is endemic there. Since the start of 2023, the province has reported a total of 64 plague cases and 14 deaths (case fatality rate: 21.8%) in five health zones, namely Aungba, Linga, Rethy, Aru and Kambala.

In a statement last Monday, February 19, the Ituri civil protection service warned of the contamination of 13 students at the primary school in the town of Kpandroma, located 110 km from Bunia, capital of the province of Ituri.

Plague is a rodent disease. This serious viral disease can be transmitted to humans through contact with an affected animal, after a bite or scratch.

According to the WHO, nearly 50,000 human cases of plague were declared in 2022 by 26 countries in Africa, Asia and America. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected part of the world, with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and especially Madagascar, which is the country with the most human cases of plague in the world.

Dieumerci Diaka

https://infos.cd/actualite/sante/ituri-lepidemie-de-la-peste-fait-rage/41169/

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DRC: more than 100 cases of plague including 18 deaths recorded in 2023

February 23, 2024

Kinshasa, February 24 , 2024 (ACP).- 131 cases of plague, including 18 deaths, were recorded during the year 2023 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a report from the epidemiological surveillance directorate of the General Directorate for the Fight against the disease, from the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention, consulted Friday by the ACP. “ During 2023, the DRC reported 131 cases of plague, including 18 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 13.74% ,” we read in the report. The same source indicates that the most affected province is Ituri, located in the northeast of the country. Furthermore, on February 20, the central office of the rural health zone of Rethy, in the province of Ituri, suspended activities in several schools in the cities of Kpandroma, Rethy and its surroundings for three days in anticipation of protecting children from this epidemic. He also indicated that Thirteen students including four (4) boys and nine (9) girls from Kpandroma primary school tested positive for this disease. Plague is a bacterial zoonosis of rodents, mainly carried by rats. It is transmitted to humans through flea bites from infected rodents. ACP/

https://acp.cd/sante/rdc-plus-de-100-cas-de-peste-dont-18-deces-recenses-en-2023/

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WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES

Week 9: 26 February - 3 March 2024
Data as reported by: 17:00; 3 March 2024
...
All events currently being monitored by WHO AFRO
...

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Plague suspected

Grade Ungraded
Date notified to WCO 26-Feb-24
Start of reporting period 1-Jan-24
End of reporting period 20-Feb-24
Total cases 99
Cases Confirmed
Deaths 7
CFR 7.10%

Plague is endemic in Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where cases are regularly reported in some health zones including Aungba, Linga, Logo, Mahagi and Rethy. However, since the beginning of this year, health zones of Logo and Rethy have reported an unusual number of suspected cases of plague with significant fatality. As of 20 February 2024, 99 cases and seven death ( CFR 7.1%) have been reported from the two health zones, including 84 cases of bubonic plague, 11 cases of pneumonic plague and four of septicemic plague.

https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/disease-outbreaks/outbreaks-and-other-emergencies-updates

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WEEKLY BULLETIN ON OUTBREAKS
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES

Week 12: 18 - 24 March 2024
Data as reported by: 17:00; 24 March 2024
...
All events currently being monitored by WHO AFRO
...
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Plague suspected

Grade Ungraded
Date notified to WCO 26-Feb-24
Start of reporting period 1-Jan-24
End of reporting period 22-Mar-24
Total cases 205
Cases Confirmed
Deaths 7
CFR 3.40%

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing plague in two health zones (Rethy and Logo) in the Ituri province. A total of 205 cases have been reported including seven deaths (CFR 3.4%) since the beginning of this year.

https://www.afro.who.int/countries/liberia/publication/outbreaks-and-emergencies-bulletin-week-12-18-24-march-2024