Bas — Uele Province, DRC – The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Ebola outbreak has reached a critical juncture, expanding to its sixth province as officials and the World Health Organization (WHO) warn of a potential record death toll.
The spread was confirmed following the death of a man who traveled from Haut — Uele to Buta, the capital of Bas-Uele, in the latest province affected by the virus.
The rare Bundibugyo virus, responsible for the outbreak, has already resulted in over 2,100 deaths from more than 4,500 cases, according to government figures. This figure exceeds the death toll of the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which was the deadliest in history.
The WHO Director — General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, cautioned that the current outbreak could surpass this previous record. Amid the crisis, health workers in Ituri province, one of the hardest-hit areas, went on strike after going unpaid for three months, temporarily closing the Nizi treatment center.
The true scale of the outbreak remains elusive, with health authorities indicating that between 60% and 70% of new cases are recorded outside of monitored contacts, signaling rapid disease spread. Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, the WHO regional director for Africa, emphasized the urgency, stating, “We are chasing the virus; the virus is ahead of us.
” Ebola, while rare, is highly contagious and can be transmitted through body fluids or contaminated surfaces.
The severity of the disease is such that it is often fatal. Efforts to combat the outbreak are further complicated by strikes, rebel threats, community anger, and misinformation that Ebola is not real. Clinical trials for two potential treatments began in Ituri last month.
The outbreak, declared on May 15th, is believed to have started months prior, in February, as indicated by sequencing.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: The guardian
Source: Associated Press in Kinshasa
