DR Congo reports over 1,500 confirmed Ebola cases
Kinshasa, July 4
The Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 1,502 confirmed Ebola cases, including 473 deaths, as the World Health Organization said the outbreak remains serious.
According to the latest situation report released Friday (local time) by DRC public health authorities, 628 patients are currently in isolation or hospitalisation, with the country recording 229 recoveries. A total of 213 suspected cases, including 63 deaths, have also been reported.
Speaking at an online media briefing, WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Yakub Janabi said the situation remains serious, with transmission continuing in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.
Janabi said the current outbreak is the largest Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak ever recorded, reports Xinhua news agency.
Pierre Akilimali, a WHO expert in the DRC, said the outbreak is occurring in areas affected by insecurity and armed group activities, making case detection and contact tracing difficult. Some affected areas in Ituri are mining zones, where frequent movement of people from outside has increased the risk of virus transmission.
The WHO said Thursday that a clinical trial had begun enrolling patients in the DRC to evaluate potential treatments for Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Sensasi, a WHO expert in Uganda, said the country had reported 20 confirmed cases as of Thursday, including 15 imported cases. The remaining five locally infected people were all detected while in quarantine, and no community transmission has been observed.
Uganda and the DRC have established a joint cross-border response mechanism and signed a memorandum of understanding, under which the two countries will share surveillance information and strengthen screening and treatment capacity in border areas, Sensasi said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's sad that even with modern medicine, outbreaks like this still happen in conflict zones. The lack of approved vaccine for Bundibugyo virus makes it even scarier. I hope the clinical trial brings some hope soon. Cross-border cooperation between DRC and Uganda is a step in the right direction.
As someone from a developing country, I feel for the people in DRC. Healthcare infrastructure in such regions is already fragile, and armed conflicts make it worse. The WHO needs to push for more international aid, not just for treatment but also for security so that healthcare workers can reach affected areas safely. 😔
Almost 500 deaths from confirmed cases alone, and that's not including suspected ones. The fact that it's the largest Bundibugyo outbreak ever means we're in uncharted territory. I'd like to see more transparency in how the clinical trial is being conducted and how vaccines will be distributed if proven effective. India has experience with vaccine manufacturing, maybe we can help.
This outbreak shows how interconnected our world is. DRC and Uganda are working together, but the risk of it spreading to other African countries or even globally is real. Indian agencies should be on alert too, given our travel links with East Africa. Prevention is better than cure, and we need stronger surveillance at airports and ports. 🤔
Respect to the healthcare workers risking their lives in conflict zones to treat Ebola patients. The situation in Ituri and North Kivu sounds terrible - insecurity makes it nearly impossible to track cases. I just wish the international community would step up more. India faced similar issues during COVID lockdowns in red zones, so we understand the
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