The World Health Organisation has confirmed the first recovery of a patient infected in the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking a rare positive development as health officials continue to track the spread of the virus.
The organisation said a patient has been discharged from a treatment centre after testing negative twice for the disease.
“The DRC has said that on May 27, a patient recovered and left the hospital and has been discharged into the community,” WHO technical officer on viral haemorrhagic fevers Anais Legand told reporters.
She described it as the first confirmed recovery among laboratory-verified cases in the current outbreak, while noting that other unconfirmed recoveries may already have occurred.
“This is the first one to be discharged from a care centre following two negative tests,” she said.
The outbreak, declared earlier this month, has so far recorded 125 confirmed cases and more than 900 suspected cases, according to the WHO, with 17 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Health officials say the outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
The strain can have a case fatality rate of up to 50%, though WHO says the current outbreak appears to be showing a lower fatality rate of just under 25% among confirmed cases — a figure still subject to change as investigations continue.
Ms Legand stressed that access to early treatment remains critical in improving survival chances.
“We are expecting more people to recover,” she said.
The WHO added that improved case management and early detection are helping to stabilise outcomes in some patients, even as transmission continues in affected areas.
