Ebola cases in DRC hit 100, a twofold increase
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen a twofold increase in Ebola cases in the last 5 weeks, bringing the total count to 100 in less than 100 days, according to WHO.
The outbreak in Equateur Province was declared on June 1 after a cluster of cases was detected in Mbandaka, the provincial capital. It struck as a large outbreak in the eastern part of the country was winding down.
Credit: WHO/Junior D. Kannah
“With 100 Ebola cases in less than 100 days, the outbreak in Equateur Province is evolving in a concerning way,” Matshidiso Moeti, MBBS, MSc, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said in a news release. “The virus is spreading across a wide and rugged terrain, which requires costly interventions, and with COVID-19 draining resources and attention, it is hard to scale up operations.”
According to WHO, the outbreak has spread to 11 of the province’s 17 health zones. To date, WHO has reported 96 confirmed and four probable cases, including 43 deaths. Through ring vaccination, response teams have vaccinated more than 22,600 people, WHO said. They have screened more than 640,000 travelers at 40 checkpoints to ensure safe traveling.
According to WHO, despite these efforts, this outbreak is facing “significant logistical challenges,” including that some of the affected communities cover large distances in remote and densely forested areas of the province. In addition, the outbreak is spread over an area spanning more than 180 miles and it takes days to reach affected populations, with responders and supplies often having to travel across waterways and through areas without roads, WHO said.
According to WHO, the outbreak response is also underfunded. Though WHO initially provided $1.7 million and subsequently supplemented the fund with another $600,000 from its contingency fund for emergencies, there is “a critical need for additional support.”
“Without extra support, the teams on the ground will find it harder to get ahead of the virus,” Moeti said. “COVID-19 is not the only emergency needing robust support. As we know from our recent history, we ignore Ebola at our peril.”
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