The Ebola virus is still making its way through the Democratic Republic of Congo. SO far, there have been 952 confirmed cases and 247 deaths. There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight either.
Cases have increased by 38 percent over the past week, spreading across 32 health zones in eastern Congo. Accoridng to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak is heavily concentrated in the Ituri province, which accounts for more than 90 percent of reported infections.
Africa CDC Says This Could Be The WORST Ebola Outbreak In History
The outbreak is outpacing those attempting to contain it. Several factors are at play, making this particular viral outbreak a different situation.
“It has been a month after the Ebola outbreak, and it is still outpacing our response efforts. There are big gaps in surveillance, diagnosis, contact tracing, and community engagement,” says Dr. Kerry Dierberg, who is on the ground, speaking from Goma to The Indian Express.
Dr. Dierberg, an emergency medical coordinator at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), is dealing with an epidemiological situation that remains unclear and is evolving rapidly.
The current strain spreading, called Bundibugyo, has proven incredibly difficult to treat. Current vaccines are ineffective against this strain of the virus, but conflict and humanitarian displacements continue to complicate the containment effort as well. Many locals in the community are resisting health protocols and not adhering to strict safe-burial protocols, according to a report by Newsweek.
Three New Vaccine Candidates For Ebola Are Being “Fast-Tracked”
Health officials say that they are also fighting the battle of misinformation about Ebola.
Infants and young children are exceptionally vulnerable to Ebola. The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids (such as saliva, vomit, and feces), making the hands-on, constant care required in orphanages highly conducive to transmission.
The primary symptoms of Ebola include:
- Sudden onset of fever and profound fatigue
- Severe muscle pain and weakness
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Impaired kidney and liver function
- In advanced stages, internal and external bleeding
There is no estimate on how bad this outbreak could get, nor is there any kind of time approximation for when it could peak. Considering it hasn’t yet, this could still get much worse.