Congo: Another Plague Arrives
2nd March 2020
In eastern Congo efforts to deal with the Ebola virus epidemic are being disrupted by continuing civil disorder and various armed groups blocking medical aid efforts. The major impediment is the persistent anarchy and warfare in Ituri and North Kivu provinces where 100 to 120 militias and rebel groups continue to operate. The number of new “cases per day” has dropped. From February 18 to 23, there was only one new confirmed case in North Kivu Province. As of February 23, there have been 3,444 total cases, with 3,310 confirmed and 2,264 victims died. This is a 66 percent fatality rate. There are 1,167 survivors, but that some of these are patients still undergoing treatment.
The huge desert locust swarm sweeping across eastern Africa reached Congo’s Lake Albert region in late February. This is the first major locust swarm to strike Congo since 1944. Locust swarms are already ravaging neighboring Uganda.