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Ebola Epidemic in Congo Close to Being the Second Deadliest

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The Ebola epidemic affecting the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri is close to becoming the second deadliest in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
 
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health for November 27, the most recent available officially, the number of deaths reached 241, nine death short from the total count in 1995 in Kikwit (southwest, with 315 patients and 250 deaths).
 
The outbreak, which was detected on August 1 in the rural town of Mangina (North Kivu), has affected 421 people with the Ebola virus, one of the most lethal known in the world.
 
The epidemic became the largest in history at the beginning of the month due to the number of cases and the third in terms of deaths. The one that caused more deaths was that of 1976 in Yambuku (north of the country), with 318 patients and 280 deaths.
 
The Ministry of Health reported that more than 36,600 people were vaccinated, while 74 suspected cases were investigated and 125 were cured. / PL