Bunia: The Congolese government has announced that it will not close schools in the eastern provinces despite the ongoing Ebola epidemic, which has resulted in the deaths of at least five students since the outbreak began in mid-May. This decision was confirmed by an official on Saturday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, prevalent in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, has a fatality rate ranging from 30% to 50% among confirmed cases, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Health Minister Roger Kamba, speaking to reporters in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, emphasized the government's focus on enhancing preventive measures in schools rather than shutting them down.

"We are not going to close schools. We are going to put in place preventive measures so as not to punish children twice," Kamba stated. He expressed concern about the deaths of at least five schoolchildren in Ituri province, attributing these fatalities to self-medication and delays in seeking medical care. Kamba urged families to avoid home treatment and promptly refer suspected cases to health facilities.

According to the World Health Organization's latest figures, the current Ebola outbreak in the Congo and Uganda has resulted in at least 134 confirmed cases. Congolese health authorities have noted that new suspected cases continue to emerge, with a cumulative total of over 1,000 since the outbreak was declared. Among the confirmed cases, nine have been recorded in Uganda, with 18 deaths reported among the confirmed cases in both countries.