There have been some disturbing updates on the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One month in, the true scale of this outbreak is still unknown.
The outbreak was officially declared on May 15th. Since then, the Ebola cases in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) have climbed to 782, with 181 deaths recorded, the Health Ministry has said, as the country battles a fast-spreading outbreak in a conflict-torn region.
Ebola Outbreak Worsens As Cases Reach 782
According to a report by RT, the ministry reported 72 new confirmed cases and 29 additional deaths on Sunday in its latest update on the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, bringing the case fatality rate from 21% to 23.1%. It said 40 people so far have recovered since the outbreak. According to the World Health Organization, there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus, although work is underway to test potential candidates.
Three New Vaccine Candidates For Ebola Are Being “Fast-Tracked”
Confirmed cases have now been reported in 31different health zones across three eastern provinces, including two cases in newly affected zones as of June 13th. The total includes 20 health zones in Ituri, ten in North Kivu, and one in South Kivu.
Conflict and migration of people due to the conflict have made tracking and tracing efforts difficult.
Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu have been affected for years by attacks by armed groups and fighting that has triggered mass displacement of people from their homes. The UN humanitarian office said nearly 1 million people have been displaced by conflict in Ituri alone, making contact tracing harder as people flee attacks or move frequently through remote areas. -RT
“People Are Hiding” During Ebola Outbreak, Making Containment Difficult
According to a report by Reuters, the government’s figures likely understate the true toll, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said in a statement, echoing a view shared by aid groups and some Congolese officials.
“No one knows the true scale or exactly where the disease is spreading in DRC,” said Kate White, emergency medical coordinator for MSF, which operates treatment centers across the Ebola-hit east.