Nine people have been confirmed dead from Ebola in Congo, with more than twice that number suspected of having died from the virus, according to the Health Ministry. Overall suspected and confirmed cases stand at 52, the ministry said in a statement late Thursday. Although the scale of Ebola in Congo is nowhere near levels seen in Africa during the 2014 outbreak, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is concerned that it has now spread to a major urban area. The organization warned this week that the situation was "on the epidemiological knife edge" and the next few weeks will be paramount in keeping the disease under control. The WHO has rolled out an immunization campaign which made more than 7,500 vaccine doses available in an effort to stem the spread of the deadly disease. The WHO has also been helping Congo's neighbours create stocks of protective gear, thermometers and rapid diagnostic test kits that would help authorities detect and treat infections. Ebola, a highly infectious disease that causes a fever, often leads to massive internal bleeding and fatalities.
