BUNIA, Congo (AP) – The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has resulted in the deaths of over 1,500 individuals, marking it as the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease on record. The latest data, released on Thursday, indicates a staggering 50% increase in fatalities within just a week, highlighting the ongoing challenges related to response efforts in the region.
As of Tuesday, a total of 3,442 cases had been reported, with 1,521 confirmed deaths according to the government update. The recent spike in numbers is partly attributed to a backlog of previously unconfirmed cases and deaths, as clarified by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday.
This outbreak, which was officially declared on May 15, has been linked to the Bundibugyo virus. Currently, there are no approved vaccines or treatments available for this variant. Numerous factors, including delays in contact tracing, difficulties in accessing affected areas, community mistrust, and violence from armed groups, have hindered the response efforts, as reported by the Africa CDC.
The outbreak is heavily concentrated in Ituri province, a remote area in eastern Congo that accounts for nearly 90% of the total cases. However, additional infections have also been recorded in five other provinces, including Kisangani, one of the country’s largest cities.
In contrast, neighboring Uganda announced on Tuesday that it has declared itself free of Ebola following the discharge of its last patient in mid-June.
Ebola is known for being rare, but it is highly contagious and can be transmitted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen. The disease it causes is severe and often fatal. According to Dr. Jean Kaseya, the Director-General of Africa CDC, 63% of confirmed deaths over the last two weeks occurred outside of treatment centers, emphasizing the dangers of unsafe handling of infected bodies by the local population.
Traditional burial practices in some communities involve direct contact with the deceased, which poses high risks of transmission. Restrictions imposed by health authorities on such funerals, combined with widespread misinformation in these areas, has resulted in anger among residents, leading to attacks on health facilities.
In the Nyakunde health zone, international partners supporting the Ebola response had to temporarily relocate after an attack on July 15 that targeted a hospital and a treatment center following the death of a patient. The relocation of these partners, including Africa CDC and Mercy Corps, has severely disrupted surveillance, contact tracing, and the supply chain needed to combat the outbreak.
Dr. Désiré Duabo, chief medical officer for the health zone, indicated that many supplies, equipment, and operational support have been provided by foreign aid groups and agencies, warning that existing stocks are “almost depleted.” Attacks such as those in Nyakunde are creating anxiety among healthcare workers and complicating their ability to perform their duties, noted Pierre Akilimali, the Ebola response incident manager at the National Public Health Institute of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Local health authorities report that security conditions have since improved and are urging international partners to resume their operations, with the Africa CDC expressing readiness to redeploy teams as early as next week.
This outbreak has surpassed previous incidents in terms of mortality rate and speed of escalation, far exceeding the 2014-2016 outbreak that saw 28,000 cases and over 11,000 fatalities, taking approximately eight months to reach the 1,000 death mark.
The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that the global risk of spread remains low since Ebola does not transmit through the air, making it more difficult to propagate compared to respiratory viruses. However, within Congo, the threat of spread is considered “very high,” as reported by the WHO.
– Reported from Dakar, Senegal by Banchereau. Prosper Heri Ngorora and Mark Banchereau, The Associated Press
