WHO warns of anthrax outbreak in DRC

Kabale, Uganda | The World Health Organisation (WHO) is intensifying emergency response efforts to control an outbreak of anthrax in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a statement released on Thursday, WHO reported that 16 suspected and one confirmed human cases of the disease have been recorded in North Kivu Province in the east of the country.

“There has been one death among the cases. The outbreak has affected four health zones around Lake Edward on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. It is linked to the one that is ongoing on the Ugandan side of the lake, where seven suspected human cases have been reported in the western Kabale district. Response efforts are ongoing, including livestock vaccination”, reads the statement in part.

In DRC, WHO is assessing to determine the risk of the infection spreading further and is supporting health authorities to strengthen the response, including disease surveillance and investigation to identify the source of the outbreak and chains of transmission, as well as provision of medical supplies and treatment. WHO is also facilitating cross-border coordination between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to enhance outbreak response.