UN Warning: 80% of Ebola Cases in Congo of Unknown Origin, Fastest Spread in History - Sarmad

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that 80% of new Ebola virus cases in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo stem from unknown transmission chains, indicating the rapid spread of the disease and the authorities’ inability to track it.

The DRC has been battling an outbreak of a rare strain of the Ebola virus since May, for which there is currently no approved treatment or vaccine. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) stated that this is the fastest Ebola outbreak on the continent.

Chekouri Ehiakwo, following his return from Bunia city in Ituri province, one of the hardest-hit areas, said, “What is most concerning is that many of the recently reported deaths are among people who died within their communities without reaching any health facility or receiving care.” He added, “As of today, 80% of new cases fall outside our contact tracing lists, meaning they originate from unknown transmission chains.”

The death of infected individuals outside the health system prevents their isolation, treatment, and rapid contact tracing, thereby increasing the risk of further transmission.

Ehiakwo confirmed that the outbreak “continues to outpace the response efforts made to contain it.”

Congolese authorities stated that as of Monday, at least 1,926 people had been infected, with 702 deaths, across three provinces in the DRC due to the rare Bundebugyo virus, which causes Ebola. Infections have also been confirmed in neighboring Uganda.