Ebola deaths near 500 in DR Congo amid continued community transmission
Kinshasa, July 5
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported 1,528 confirmed Ebola cases, including 492 deaths, as the country's latest outbreak continues to expand.
According to a situation report released Saturday by the DRC public health authorities, a total of 239 patients have recovered, while 628 confirmed patients are currently in isolation or hospitalisation. Authorities have also identified 185 suspected cases, Xinhua news agency reported.
The report said weekly confirmed cases have continued to rise, with epidemiological weeks 25 and 26 recording the highest levels so far, each exceeding 300 cases, indicating continued community transmission.
The report listed several major challenges, including community resistance to post-mortem sampling, insufficient capacity at Ebola treatment centers, especially in the eastern province of North Kivu, suboptimal contact tracing, delayed laboratory diagnosis, shortages of medical and infection-prevention supplies, insecurity and limited access in some affected areas.
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 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
The community resistance to post-mortem sampling is understandable - in many cultures, including ours in India, there's deep sensitivity around handling bodies. But we need better awareness campaigns that respect local beliefs while educating about public health risks. DRC's challenges with insecurity and limited access sound similar to some remote areas in our country too.
Nearly 500 deaths and no approved vaccine for this strain - that's alarming. The fact that it's in mining zones with high population movement makes containment even harder. Uganda's approach of cross-border cooperation seems sensible. India should take notes on how to build similar frameworks with our neighbors for any future health emergencies.
While I feel for the affected families, I'm also worried about our own preparedness. Remember how COVID exposed gaps in our healthcare system? We need better funding for disease surveillance, especially in rural areas. Also, it's good that clinical trials for treatments are starting - global health is interconnected, and investing in research helps everyone.
This is heartbreaking. The challenges listed - insufficient treatment centers, poor contact tracing, delayed diagnosis - these are all things that can be fixed with proper international support. The UN, WHO, and wealthy nations need to step up more. DRC has been dealing with this for years and it's not fair to expect them to handle it alone.
Living in a connected world means we all have a stake in this. The fact that Uganda has 20 cases already shows how quickly it moves across borders. I hope the clinical trials for Bundibugyo virus treatments succeed soon - we can't afford to be complacent just because it's happening far away. Every life matters
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