The Republic of Congo has reported, as of April 24, 132 measles-related deaths out of 6,259 cases recorded since the beginning of this year throughout the Congolese territory, Congolese Minister of Health Gilbert Mokoki said on Thursday. .
According to him, the department of Pointe-Noire, the economic capital of the country, constitutes the epicenter of the epidemic with in particular 5,488 notified cases including 112 deaths. “Most of these deaths occurred in people admitted late to the care centers after the failure of self-medication or the use of traditional practices”, explained the Congolese Minister of Health.
Gilbert Mokoki also reported a confirmed case of yellow fever in Pointe-Noire and 85 suspected cases under investigation in the other departments of Congo.
Faced with this situation, the Ministry of Health, with the support of partners, has implemented actions to raise public awareness of the presumptive signs of measles and early recourse to the health service, the minister said.
The Congolese government also reported the strengthening of epidemiological surveillance and routine vaccination, the provision in health facilities of case management drugs, the planning of an integrated vaccination campaign against measles and yellow fever as soon as possible.
“The government is taking all the necessary measures to respond to these health emergencies and urges the population to use the nearest health services in the event of any suspected case of measles,” said Gilbert Mokoki.