Ebola is spreading rapidly across eastern Congo in the deadliest outbreak in the nation’s history, crossing provincial lines and infecting more than 11,000 people over six months, PBS News reported.
Government data shows the death toll is approaching half of those infected, putting the current epidemic on track to surpass the West African outbreak that killed 11,000 people between 2014 and 2016. The World Health Organization declared the public health emergency six months ago, noting that the outbreak has now reached eight of the country’s provinces.
Contact tracing and isolation remain inadequate, according to experts cited by PBS News. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 80% of new infections are detected outside official health surveillance, while one-third of deaths occur at home without specialist supervision.
Conflict and insecurity are making it harder for health teams to reach communities affected by the #Ebola outbreak in the DRC. Six months into the outbreak, most early epicentres have been brought under control. Yet the outbreak is expanding geographically, particularly in areas…
Children face severe mortality rates in the outbreak. Unicef data indicates that children accounted for 35% of deaths recorded through Nov. 4, with children under five representing 21% of all deaths and a 72% fatality rate among infected patients in that age group, as reported by The Times of India.
Armed Conflict and Unpaid Wages Hinder Health Workers
Health workers struggle against ongoing armed conflict in eastern Congo, where government forces fight rebel groups including the Rwanda-backed M23 and the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces. Healthcare facilities and personnel have faced fatal attacks, and workers have staged repeated strikes over months of unpaid wages.
“We see the same mistakes as before,” Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, who helped discover Ebola in 1976 and now heads Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, told The New York Times. “It’s as if we were starting from zero. It’s very disappointing.”
Financial management questions have additionally been raised by aid groups, with the Africa CDC noting that two out of every three dollars from the $2.9 billion raised for continental Ebola relief efforts had not yet been released.
Despite severe hurdles, approximately 3,000 people have recovered from the virus and returned home, according to the WHO. Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus credited local responders for driving hard-won progress in slowing transmission in early epicenters.
Ebola Outbreak Spreads Across Multiple Neighboring Countries
The outbreak has made history as the most geographically widespread Ebola event on record. Importation events reached neighboring countries, with Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda confirming cases.
Six months ago, I declared the Bundibugyo virus #Ebola outbreak in the #DRC a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Since then, over 11,000 cases and 5400 deaths have been recorded across eight provinces, making this the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in the… pic.twitter.com/v1TncZkxJs
The WHO reported that Kenya has recorded no new cases since Oct. 19, with discharging procedures nearly complete, while Nigeria has identified no secondary cases during its monitoring period.
“Amid immense hardship, local responders and global partners, under the leadership of the government, are driving hard-won progress. Transmission is slowing in several early epicentres, and clinical trials, including the Tumaini trial and new vaccine candidates, are advancing rapidly, said Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, according to Anadolu Ajansı.”
Six months into the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, the numbers remind us of the scale of the challenge. 11,021 confirmed cases. 5,358 reported deaths. 67 health zones affected across eight provinces. Behind every number is a family, a community and a life that must be protected.… pic.twitter.com/CgrxJAmkuy
Earlier coverage: DRC Ebola Death Toll Passes 5,500 as Violence Hampers Response
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