Ebola outbreak reaches sixth province in DR Congo as cases top 4,600: Official
Kinshasa, Aug 14
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to a sixth province, with confirmed cases rising to 4,665, the government said Friday.
The health zone of Buta in the northern province of Bas-Uele has been added to the list of affected areas, bringing the number of affected health zones nationwide to 54, according to the latest update released by the country's public health authorities.
The outbreak is now affecting six provinces -- Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tshopo -- with the northeastern province of Ituri remaining the main epicentre, Xinhua News Agency reported.
A total of 2,184 deaths have been recorded among confirmed cases, putting the overall case fatality rate at 46.8 per cent. Meanwhile, 965 people have recovered since the start of the outbreak.
On May 15, the DRC declared the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus.
Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called for support for the immediate implementation of the DRC government's decision to deploy the Ervebo vaccine to help contain the "rapidly escalating" Ebola outbreak in the country.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, during an online briefing on Thursday, described the move as "a big step" in the ongoing response against the rare Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, highlighting that the Central African country has already submitted a request for 100,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision.
Warning that the current emergency "risks becoming the deadliest the country has faced, and we cannot allow that trajectory to continue," Kaseya said the requested vaccine doses will support clinical trials, the vaccination of front-line responders, and those in urgent need of the vaccine.
The lack of licensed vaccines or targeted medical countermeasures against the rare Bundibugyo strain is further driving the disease's rapid transmission across parts of the DRC.
The Ervebo vaccine is a World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-qualified, single-dose vaccine for the disease caused by the Zaire Ebola virus strain and has an extensive safety and deployment record.
Highlighting Ervebo's potential cross-protection and the current emergency context, Kaseya stressed that deployment of this vaccine is a strategic approach to reduce severe illness and deaths. He said this approach will simultaneously generate the rigorous evidence needed to guide the wider response.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The fatality rate is nearly 47% - that's terrifying. I'm glad the African CDC is calling for the Ervebo vaccine even though it's not for this specific strain. Better to try something with known safety than nothing at all. I just hope they can reach the rural areas - the logistical challenge of getting vaccines to remote villages in the DRC's jungles is immense. Reminds me of our own challenges reaching tribal areas during health crises here.
The fact that the FDA hasn't licensed a vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain is concerning. Even WHO pre-qualified vaccines don't cover this strain. 54 health zones in six provinces - this outbreak is spreading fast. I sincerely hope the ICG can provide those 100,000 doses of Ervebo quickly. The whole world should be paying attention to this, not just Africa.
Spreading to a sixth province is a clear warning sign. The government here in India should also be proactive - we can offer our digital health infrastructure and telemedicine expertise to help DRC track the spread. We faced the Delta wave, we know what it's like when health systems get overwhelmed. Also, quick question - does this strain have any impact on travel advisories for Indians working in that region?
As someone who works in public health, I'd like to point out one concern: using a vaccine not fully matched for the strain during clinical trials is a balancing act. The need for speed is clear, but so is the need for proper data collection. Still, in emergency situations, you work with what you have. Kudos to Africa CDC for acting decisively. Let's hope the vaccine ships without bureaucratic delays.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.