DAKAR, Senegal (AP) - The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has resulted in over 200 fatalities within the first month, marking it as the most severe outbreak on record at this early stage. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there are approximately 35,000 suspected potential contacts related to this outbreak.
As of now, there have been 894 confirmed cases, indicating that this outbreak is three times more severe than a previous outbreak in Uganda in the year 2000, which had 281 cases at the same stage. Dr. Wessam Mankoula, a medical epidemiologist at Africa CDC, noted that the outbreak was officially confirmed on May 15, weeks after it was suspected to have commenced. The number of cases has surged by 38% since last week and has spread across 32 health zones in eastern Congo.
The current outbreak is attributed to the rare Bundibugyo virus, which lacks any approved vaccines or treatments. This virus was not initially tested for during the outbreak's first days. In contrast, the more prevalent Zaire virus, for which there is a vaccine, was responsible for most of the 16 previous outbreaks recorded in the Congo.
So far, 74 patients have successfully recovered from the disease across eastern Congo and Uganda. Experimental treatments, including monoclonal antibodies, are being developed specifically for Bundibugyo. The highest concentration of cases has been reported in the Ituri province of Congo, which accounts for over 90% of the total cases. Additionally, cases have also been documented in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, with 19 confirmed cases, including two fatalities occurring in Uganda.
The challenges of contact tracing are exacerbated by the remoteness of the area and ongoing insecurity in Ituri province. Dr. Mankoula emphasized the need for comprehensive contact tracking, estimating that for the currently confirmed cases, there should be between 17,000 to 35,000 individuals in the contact list. However, only about 4,000 contacts have been tracked and evaluated, indicating a stark gap of less than 15% in contact tracing efforts.
The U.N. humanitarian office has reported that nearly one million people have been displaced due to years of conflict in Ituri, making comprehensive contact tracing increasingly difficult as communities flee attacks or frequently move across the expansive province, characterized by dense forests, poor road conditions, and remote villages that may take days to reach. The movement of thousands of miners among isolated sites in the mineral-rich region further complicates tracing efforts.
Regarding funding, out of the over $900 million pledged to combat the outbreak, only $90 million has been released thus far, complicating the ongoing crisis. The Africa CDC estimates that 540 personnel are needed for effective intervention, while currently only 84 staff members are available to aid in the response.
Dr. Mankoula expressed hope for a swift release of the remaining pledged funds, stating that they will continue to follow up with various member states and partners to transform these commitments into actual financial support for the affected countries.
