{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,10]],"date-time":"2026-01-10T23:19:11Z","timestamp":1768087151264,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,24]],"date-time":"2021-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1629763200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,24]],"date-time":"2021-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1629763200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Trop Med Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>In February 2021, a new Ebola virus disease outbreak was confirmed amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although the country has successfully contained the outbreak amid its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the epidemiological situation is still concerning, primarily due to the risk of an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The coexistence of both outbreaks increased the burden on the country\u2019s health system mainly because Ebola response programs were redirected to the COVID-19 national response. Strategies adopted and lessons learned from previous Ebola outbreaks were crucial to developing the COVID-19 national response. To tackle the challenges of combating both the viruses, it is essential to adopt multidisciplinary measures such as prevention, education, and vaccination campaigns, promoting hygiene and social distancing practices, and improving diagnostic and management protocols. This paper discusses the efforts, challenges, and possible solutions to grapple with Ebola amid the COVID-19 crisis in DRC successfully.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1186\/s41182-021-00356-6","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,24]],"date-time":"2021-08-24T12:03:03Z","timestamp":1629806583000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Ebola and COVID-19 in Democratic Republic of Congo: grappling with two plagues at once"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"49","author":[{"given":"Fatima Muhammad Asad","family":"Khan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mohammad Mehedi","family":"Hasan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zohra","family":"Kazmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ana Carla","family":"dos Santos Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Abdullahi Tunde","family":"Aborode","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shoaib","family":"Ahmad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mohammad Yasir","family":"Essar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"356_CR1","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Ebola virus disease. 2021. https:\/\/www.who.int\/en\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/ebola-virus-disease. Accessed 18 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR2","unstructured":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ebola (Ebola Virus Disease)|2021 Democratic Republic of the Congo, North Kivu Province. 2021. https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vhf\/ebola\/outbreaks\/drc\/2021-february.html. Accessed 18 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR3","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Democratic Republic of the Congo: WHO coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard with vaccination data. 2021. https:\/\/covid19.who.int\/region\/afro\/country\/cd. Accessed 18 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR4","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Ebola virus disease\u2014Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2021. https:\/\/www.who.int\/csr\/don\/10-february-2021-ebola-drc\/en\/. Accessed 18 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/JMV.27137","author":"A Mohan","year":"2021","unstructured":"Mohan A, Temitope RA, \u00c7avdaro\u011flu S, Hasan MM, Costa ACdS, Ahmad S, Essar MY. Measles returns to the Democratic Republic of Congo: a new predicament amid the COVID-19 crisis. J Med Virol. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/JMV.27137.","journal-title":"J Med Virol"},{"key":"356_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"204209861986485","DOI":"10.1177\/2042098619864853","volume":"10","author":"D Nzolo","year":"2019","unstructured":"Nzolo D, Kuemmerle A, Lula Y, Ntamabyaliro N, Engo A, Mvete B, Liwono J, Lusakibanza M, Mesia G, Burri C, Mampunza S, Tona G. Development of a pharmacovigilance system in a resource-limited country: the experience of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ther Adv Drug Saf. 2019;10:204209861986485. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/2042098619864853.","journal-title":"Ther Adv Drug Saf"},{"key":"356_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1162","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6850a3","volume":"68","author":"A Aruna","year":"2019","unstructured":"Aruna A, Mbala P, Minikulu L, Mukadi D, Bulemfu D, Edidi F, Bulabula J, Tshapenda G, Nsio J, Kitenge R, Mbuyi G, Mwanzembe C, Kombe J, Lubula L, Shako JC, Mossoko M, Mulangu F, Mutombo A, Sana E, Tutu Y, Kabange L, Makengo J, Tshibinkufua F, Ahuka-Mundeke S, Muyembe J-J, ER CDC, Alarcon W, Bonwitt J, Bugli D, Bustamante ND, Choi M, Dahl BA, DeCock K, Dismer A, Doshi R, Dubray C, Fitter D, Ghiselli M, Hall N, BenHamida A, McCollum AM, Neatherlin J, Raghunathan PL, Ravat F, Reynolds MG, Rico A, Smith N, Soke GN, Trudeau AT, Victory KR, Worrell MC. Ebola virus disease outbreak Democratic Republic of the Congo, August 2018\u2013November 2019. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68:1162\u20135. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15585\/mmwr.mm6850a3.","journal-title":"MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep"},{"key":"356_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jmv.27006","author":"ACdS Costa","year":"2021","unstructured":"Costa ACdS, Hasan MM, Xenophontos E, Mohanan P, Edet BE, Hashim HT, Ahmad S, Essar MY. COVID-19 and zika: an emerging dilemma for Brazil. J Med Virol. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/jmv.27006.","journal-title":"J Med Virol"},{"key":"356_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/J.JEMEP.2021.100704","author":"A Yousaf","year":"2021","unstructured":"Yousaf A, Khan FMA, Hasan MM, Ullah I, Bardhan M. Dengue, measles, and COVID-19: a threefold challenge to public health security in Pakistan, Ethics. Med Public Health. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/J.JEMEP.2021.100704.","journal-title":"Med Public Health"},{"key":"356_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/TMI.13641","author":"ICN Rocha","year":"2021","unstructured":"Rocha ICN, Hasan MM, Goyal S, Patel T, Jain S, Ghosh A, Cede\u00f1o TDD. COVID-19 and mucormycosis syndemic: double health threat to a collapsing healthcare system in India. Trop Med Int Health. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/TMI.13641.","journal-title":"Trop Med Int Health"},{"key":"356_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/JMV.27169","author":"MM Hasan","year":"2021","unstructured":"Hasan MM, Costa ACdS, Xenophontos E, Mohanan P, Bassey EE, Ahmad S, Essar MY. Lassa fever and COVID-19 in Africa: a double crisis on the fragile health system. J Med Virol. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/JMV.27169.","journal-title":"J Med Virol"},{"key":"356_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"jmv.27211","DOI":"10.1002\/JMV.27211","volume":"15","author":"O Uwishema","year":"2021","unstructured":"Uwishema O, Adanur I, Babatunde AO, Hasan MM, Elmahi OKO, Olajumoke KB, Aborode AT, Emmanuella N, Costa ACdS, Ahmad S, Essar MY. Viral infections amidst COVID-19 in Africa: implications and recommendations. J Med Virol. 2021;15:jmv.27211. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/JMV.27211.","journal-title":"J Med Virol"},{"key":"356_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jmv.27027","author":"S \u00c7avdaro\u011flu","year":"2021","unstructured":"\u00c7avdaro\u011flu S, Hasan MM, Mohan A, Xenophontos E, Costa ACdS, Aborode AT, Tsagkaris C, Outani O, Ahmad S, Essar MY. The spread of Yellow fever amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and the ongoing efforts to mitigate it. J Med Virol. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/jmv.27027.","journal-title":"J Med Virol"},{"key":"356_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.21-0228","author":"AT Aborode","year":"2021","unstructured":"Aborode AT, Tsagkaris C, Jain S, Ahmad S, Essar MY, Fajemisin EA, Adanur I, Uwishema O. Ebola outbreak amid COVID-19 in the Republic of Guinea: priorities for achieving control. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4269\/ajtmh.21-0228.","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"key":"356_CR15","unstructured":"Devex. The double burden of coronavirus and Ebola in eastern DRC. 2021. https:\/\/www.devex.com\/news\/the-double-burden-of-coronavirus-and-ebola-in-eastern-drc-97189. Accessed 18 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR16","unstructured":"M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res. DRC tenth Ebola outbreak. 2021. https:\/\/www.msf.org\/drc-tenth-ebola-outbreak. Accessed 18 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1202","DOI":"10.1056\/nejmp2025512","volume":"383","author":"A Christie","year":"2020","unstructured":"Christie A, Neatherlin JC, Nichol ST, Beach M, Redfield RR. Ebola response priorities in the time of Covid-19. N Engl J Med. 2020;383:1202\u20134. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1056\/nejmp2025512.","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"356_CR18","unstructured":"UNICEF. UNICEF deploys staff, medical equipment and supplies in response to new Ebola case in eastern DRC. 2021. https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/press-releases\/unicef-deploys-staff-medical-equipment-and-supplies-response-new-ebola-case-eastern. Accessed 19 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR19","unstructured":"UNICEF. More than 1.7 million COVID-19 vaccines arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 2021. https:\/\/www.unicef.org\/press-releases\/more-17-million-covid-19-vaccines-arrive-democratic-republic-congo. Accessed 19 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR20","unstructured":"BBC News. Ebola: DR Congo launches Butembo vaccination campaign. 2021. https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-africa-56073201. Accessed 19 May 2021."},{"key":"356_CR21","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Resurgence of Ebola in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2021. https:\/\/www.afro.who.int\/news\/resurgence-ebola-north-kivu-democratic-republic-congo. Accessed 25 July 2021."},{"key":"356_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1240","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMOA2024670","volume":"384","author":"P Mbala-Kingebeni","year":"2021","unstructured":"Mbala-Kingebeni P, Pratt C, Mutafali-Ruffin M, Pauthner MG, Bile F, Nkuba-Ndaye A, Black A, Kinganda-Lusamaki E, Faye M, Aziza A, Diagne MM, Mukadi D, White B, Hadfield J, Gangavarapu K, Bisento N, Kazadi D, Nsunda B, Akonga M, Tshiani O, Misasi J, Ploquin A, Epaso V, Sana-Paka E, N\u2019kasar YTT, Mambu F, Edidi F, Matondo M, Bula JB, Diallo B, Keita M, Belizaire MRD, Fall IS, Yam A, Mulangu S, Rimion AW, Salfati E, Torkamani A, Suchard MA, Crozier I, Hensley L, Rambaut A, Faye O, Sall A, Sullivan NJ, Bedford T, Andersen KG, Wiley MR, Ahuka-Mundeke S, Tamfum J-JM. Ebola virus transmission initiated by relapse of systemic ebola virus disease. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:1240\u20137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1056\/NEJMOA2024670.","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"}],"container-title":["Tropical Medicine and Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s41182-021-00356-6.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/s41182-021-00356-6\/fulltext.html","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s41182-021-00356-6.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,24]],"date-time":"2021-08-24T12:25:05Z","timestamp":1629807905000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/tropmedhealth.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s41182-021-00356-6"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,24]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]}},"alternative-id":["356"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s41182-021-00356-6","relation":{},"ISSN":["1349-4147"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1349-4147","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,24]]},"assertion":[{"value":"25 May 2021","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"18 August 2021","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"24 August 2021","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"67"}}