KABUL (Pajhwok): The World Health Organization (WHO) says 321 Ebola cases have been confirmed and 116 remain suspected in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where investigations have ruled out hundreds of suspected infections and 48 deaths have been reported.
The agency reported on Tuesday that 48 people had died from the disease, while six others had recovered. Congolese health authorities released the updated figures on Monday, according to Reuters.
Asked about the sharp drop in suspected cases, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said the latest data indicated that hundreds of cases had been excluded after further assessment.
“They have been cleared out and have either other diseases or have just had fever and nothing else,” Lindmeier said.
He added that the figures could continue to fluctuate as more people undergo testing and investigations are completed.
According to Lindmeier, a suspected case includes anyone identified through surveillance systems or individuals who present Ebola-like symptoms at health facilities. Confirmed cases, however, are limited to those who test positive for Ebola Bundibugyo.
sa
