Congo Ebola outbreak claims nearly 100 children's lives

Congo ebola outbreak claims nearly 100 children's lives

(HealthDay)—The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of nearly 100 children, and the number of cases are on the rise, according to the charity Save the Children.

The charity said that since the outbreak of the viral illness began in August 2018, 97 children have died, including 65 who were younger than 5 years of age, CNN reported. The also said that the number of new cases surged in January, from about 20 a week to more than 40, with 120 new cases in the last three weeks of January.

The current outbreak in Congo is the second-deadliest and second-largest in history. So far, there have been 745 confirmed cases and 61 probable cases, the country's health ministry said Saturday. There have been 505 deaths, CNN reported.

The deadliest Ebola outbreak occurred in West Africa in 2014. More than 11,000 people died, according to the World Health Organization.

More information: CNN Article
More Information: CDC

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