Typhoid fever in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - update

19 January 2005

From 27 September 2004 - 11 January 2005, WHO has received reports of a total of 42 564 cases and 214 deaths (case fatality ratio, 0.5%), and 696 severe cases of intestinal perforation in Kinshasa. ( see previous report).

Médecins sans Frontières-Belgium has been working to provide clean water. With this provision and other control measures including health education activities, the number of cases appears to be declining.