The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have successfully controlled one of the world’s largest and most challenging outbreaks of yellow fever.
No new confirmed cases have been reported from both countries for the past six months.
“We are able to declare the end of one of the largest and most challenging yellow fever outbreaks in recent years through the strong and coordinated response by national authorities, local health workers and partners,” WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti stated.
He also commended the Angolan and DRC governments for the “unprecedented and immense response.”
He disclosed that, since it was first detected in Angola in December 2015, the outbreak claimed at least 965 lives in the two countries, with thousands more suspected.
According to him, more than 41,000 volunteers and 8,000 vaccination teams with more than 56 non-governmental organizations undertook emergency inoculation campaigns, immunizing more than 30 million people.
Photo credit: WHO
