More than 6,000 Ebola cases and 2,911 deaths recorded in Congo
The Congolese authorities reported that the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country has exceeded 6,000, while the death toll has reached 2,911. More than 1,360 people have recovered; officials called this an encouraging development.
Spread of the infection
According to the Korea Herald, the outbreak in eastern Congo is developing amid an unstable security situation, population displacement, a strike by medical workers, and intensive movement of people. Sites housing displaced persons are of particular concern, as residents are living in extremely difficult conditions.
Last week, the virus spread to two more health zones in the region. The World Health Organization said that the situation is still not under control and that the current outbreak could surpass the 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa — the deadliest in history. More than 11,000 people died then, mainly in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
Attack on response team
On Saturday, an Ebola response team was attacked on the outskirts of the city of Mambasa in Ituri Province. The team had arrived after being called to secure a body. According to the Associated Press, young people armed with machetes stormed the burial site, forced the workers to flee, and injured one of them.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Team member Floribert Magene called for security to be strengthened so that the team could work without threats to their lives. The bodies of people who died from Ebola can be highly infectious, and preparations for burial and gatherings at funerals can contribute to the further spread of the virus. The Congolese authorities instructed local authorities, where possible, to handle the burial of people suspected of having Ebola, but such measures may provoke protests from relatives and friends.
Vaccination and restrictions
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus — a rare type of Ebola for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. Last week, Congo began vaccinating medical workers and other frontline personnel with the Ervebo vaccine, which was effective during previous outbreaks caused by another, more common type of virus — Zaire. At the same time, clinical trials are continuing to find a licensed vaccine against the Bundibugyo virus.
The outbreak was officially declared in mid-May, but officials believe it may have been spreading since February. The virus spread from three health zones to nearly 60; most cases and deaths were recorded outside the network of monitored contacts and in communities. Measures to contain the infection, including restrictions on mass gatherings, social distancing, and airport closures, have disrupted daily life in six provinces, especially in Ituri, where violence by rebels is also continuing.
