WHO: The Ebola outbreak in the DRC began months before it was officially announced
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, officially declared on May 15, actually began back in February. This was reported by the World Health Organization, citing sequencing results.
WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Janabi stated at a press conference that in the early stages, some cases were mistakenly attributed to malaria and typhoid fever. According to him, medical professionals are playing catch-up with the virus, which is already outpacing response efforts.
According to the latest data from the DRC authorities, the number of confirmed Ebola cases has reached 4,200, with at least 1,900 deaths. According to the WHO, this outbreak is killing people faster than previous Ebola outbreaks. By comparison, during the 2014–2016 epidemic in West Africa—which claimed more than 11,000 lives out of at least 28,000 cases—it took about eight months to reach the 1,000-death mark.
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The current outbreak is linked to the rare Bundibugio virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. Early testing was conducted for the more common type of Ebola, which also contributed to delays in detecting the outbreak.
The work of medical teams is complicated by strikes by some workers who have not been paid, threats from rebel groups, misinformation, and a shortage of personal protective equipment. Teams are also traveling on remote dirt roads, and displaced populations have limited access to reliable sources of water for hygiene.
Last week, the WHO recommended launching full-scale human trials of the Ervebo vaccine—the only licensed Ebola vaccine. It has demonstrated safety and efficacy against the Zaire strain, and preliminary data suggest that the vaccine may also provide some protection against the Bundibugyo virus. At the same time, WHO experts believe that a vaccine specifically targeting the Bundibugio strain is the best option for combating the current outbreak.
