The Ebola outbreak situation in Congo remains worrisome after authorities confirmed 782 infections and 181 deaths within just one month following the government's official declaration of the outbreak.
Congo's Ministry of Health revealed that this outbreak is among the fastest-growing in daily cases within a month due to the virus spreading rapidly in remote areas with travel and population movement challenges, making contact tracing difficult for officials.
Bunia city in Ituri province, eastern Congo, is one of the first areas where Ebola cases were detected. Residents say that despite efforts to protect themselves following officials' advice, the situation continues to worsen.
A local resident reported seeing ambulances frequently passing through the area and noted the daily increase in deaths, causing fear within the community.
Currently, mobile medical teams are working with the community to identify individuals showing Ebola symptoms and to transfer them to specialized treatment centers as quickly as possible.
Marie-Roseline Balthazard, Acting Regional Emergency Response Director for Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that Congo's capacity to handle the disease has greatly improved.
Where there was previously only one laboratory for virus detection, the number has now increased to four, and testing capacity has risen from 20 samples per day to 400 samples daily.
Additionally, the number of beds available for patients has increased by nearly 400. Although this progress is significant, WHO emphasizes that the outbreak continues to evolve, requiring enhanced response measures proportionate to the severity of the disease.
Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reports that treatment centers in the outbreak's epicenter are overwhelmed with patients.
Many patients are admitted with severe symptoms, and most were not previously identified through contact tracing, which complicates efforts to stop the spread.
Congo authorities say the rising case numbers reflect both rapid transmission and increased active case finding.
This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is rare and was not initially tested for during the early phase of the outbreak.
Previously, the more common Zaire strain, for which a vaccine exists, was responsible for most prior outbreaks in Congo.
Currently, the outbreak is concentrated in Ituri province, accounting for over 90% of cases, before spreading to North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and crossing into Uganda.
Experts warn that the actual number of infections may be higher than reported, as the outbreak is believed to have started before the official declaration on 15 May.
Source:Aljazeera
Read more atInternational News