Mbandaka, the Provincial capital city of Équateur Province, has been severely hit with a measles epidemic that continues to rise with virulence.
The measles situation in the city remains a major public concern with the health authorities announcing the deaths of 87 people who have succumbed to the diseases in the last eight months, representing a fatality rate of 1.7%.
The Provincial Health Division in Équateur which has 18 health zones, has recorded a cumulative total of 3,282 cases of measles.
The Bolomba zone ranks above all with an unfortunate over 1,200 cases recorded with the health authorities now prompted to launch a vaccination campaign against disease which started on Tuesday, 5th September.
Équateur Province deputy governor Dr. Taylor Nganzi Nkeka launched the campaign on Tuesday and encouraged parents to take their children aged between 6 months and 5 years to nearest health centres for vaccination.
Meanwhile, it should also be noted that Équateur Province is not the only territory affected by the measles epidemic in the DR Congo as Maniema, Ituri and Kwilu provinces also continues to grapple with the disease.
The DR Congo has recorded over 148,000 cases of measles since January, 2023.
