Ebola Cases Exceed 5,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Sarmad

Government data showed that the number of confirmed Ebola virus cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 5,000.

The National Institute of Public Health stated that the seventeenth outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo became the largest in the country’s history in terms of case numbers by late July, with the death toll reaching 2,378 at the beginning of the week, thereby surpassing the fatality count recorded during the previous worst outbreak between 2018 and 2020.

In its latest report on the epidemiological situation, the Institute noted that the cumulative number of cases reached 5,021, making it the second-worst outbreak of the disease globally in terms of both cases and deaths, following the epidemic that spread in West Africa between 2014 and 2016.

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.

The spread of the disease has increased since the current outbreak was declared on May 15, due to factors including weak health sector infrastructure in the country, residents’ refusal to follow certain safety measures, as well as unrest in the country and protests by some disease control workers, which have hindered efforts to quickly identify and manage cases.

Doctors Without Borders expressed concern over limited community participation in epidemic control efforts. Emergency coordinator Trish Newport noted that local communities need to be educated about the disease’s signs and symptoms, and the procedures to follow upon infection. She warned that insufficient awareness in some affected areas is obstructing containment efforts, particularly given that some families have lost up to 15 relatives in the outbreak center in Ituri Province.

The World Health Organization warned that the epidemic is still moving at an exceptional pace outpacing tracing efforts, with last week recording a record high of 579 cases and 304 deaths. It noted that a significant expansion in response activities is being implemented to overcome the epidemic.