Key points
- The fastest growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded.
- There is no approved vaccine or treatment.
- Violent instability that makes disease surveillance and care difficult.
- Early detection remains essential to saving lives.
“The outbreak has been reported in five provinces, but Ituri province remains the epicenter and accounts for more than 90 percent of the cases and also 80 percent of the deaths.” said Dr. Thierno Baldé, Incident Manager at the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition to Ituri, the other provinces affected are North Kivu, South Kivu, Alto Uele and Tshopo..
Speaking to journalists in Geneva from Bunia, capital of Ituri province and at the center of the outbreak, Dr Baldé confirmed that the Bundibugyo virus behind this latest Ebola outbreak is also extending its reach to new areas in the eastern region, where chronic instability and the threat of conflict have combined with highly mobile and often displaced populations to create ideal conditions for the infection to spread..
Rampant insecurity
WHO teams are adjusting and adapting their strategy to the specific needs of each of the affected areas, while focusing on monitoring the situation in Bunia and surrounding areas.
The five affected provinces are located in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where violence by rebel militias remains rampant and communities live in fear of conflict.
“Let’s be very clear: this outbreak is still ahead of us and we are still in the catching up phase.” explained Dr. Baldé. “We have prioritized the expansion of safe and dignified burials, [a] reference system [and] clinical case management capacity in the most active transmission areas”, he explained.
The Ebola outbreak that broke out in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 15 is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded. The Bundibugyo virus variant is less common and there is no approved vaccine or treatment.
Dr Baldé described a recent visit to Kisangani, Tshopo province, where WHO is implementing a collective strategy by deploying rapid response teams. The results are encouraging. “So far no secondary cases have been detected in Kisangani.” said. “Currently, all five cases are imported from Ituri province. We intend to implement a similar rapid response plan in… Katwa, Butembo and other emerging areas.”he added.
Congo River Strategy
To address any chains of transmission, the UN health agency is also working on a new project that aims to reinforce control measures across the Congo River, “a crucial transit route that requires rapid implementation of control measures“explained the WHO official.
WHO teams continue to actively engage with communities to mobilize and encourage them to accept treatment and follow-up care. “The main strategy is Implement a very strong, very effective and very timely response to contain the affected areas by identifying, thoroughly investigating cases, listing and tracking all contacts.”, insisted Dr. Baldé.
Despite the challenges, the WHO has reported some encouraging signs, such as in Mongbwalu, where the outbreak was first detected. “Mongbwalu is currently showing some signs of stabilization, with a similar trend in Goma, North Kivu province,” noted the WHO Incident Manager.
The highly contagious Bundibugyo virus is relatively unknown, but it killed about 30 percent of infected people in the two previous outbreaks in 2007 and 2012, respectively, in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The disease begins with flu-like symptoms, including fever, which can mask its true identity. Full-blown Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus is characterized by severe bleeding and a mortality rate of around 40 percent.
