Kinshasa, September 9 (Daily Kiran) : The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is showing alarming signs of evolution. According to the latest external situation report from the World Health Organization (WHO), the spread of the virus varies significantly across affected provinces and health zones. While some areas report a decline in cases, others are witnessing a surge in infections, extending into new territories.
In a report released on Tuesday, the WHO stated, “This situation indicates that the outbreak is taking different trajectories in various regions. In some places, infections are decreasing, but in others, they are rising rapidly and spreading to new areas.”
A concerning aspect highlighted in the report is the increasing number of fatalities occurring within communities before individuals reach health facilities. Between August 31 and September 6, 75 percent of confirmed deaths occurred within communities, marking the highest weekly ratio during this reporting period. Just two weeks prior, this figure was 56.6 percent.
The report raises alarms, noting, “This discrepancy is troubling because, despite a reduction in deaths occurring at treatment centers, the number of community deaths is on the rise. This suggests that the previously observed decline in overall mortality rates is no longer sustained.”
The WHO attributes the rising community deaths to several factors. These include delayed disease recognition, late reporting of cases, difficulty in transporting patients to treatment centers, a lack of understanding of the disease’s severity, transportation challenges in remote areas, reliance on alternative treatment locations instead of formal health centers, and diminished public trust in health services.
Regarding vaccination efforts, studies are currently underway to assess whether the licensed ‘Ervebo’ vaccine, used against the Zaire Ebola virus, can provide protection against the existing Bundibugyo strain.
Under a special humanitarian use arrangement, vaccination for frontline health workers and at-risk populations began on August 27, utilizing vaccines that are not fully approved or have been limited in trials during such emergencies. As of September 6, a total of 2,007 health workers and other frontline staff have received the vaccine.
As of the same date, the DRC has reported a total of 6,686 confirmed Ebola cases, with 3,226 deaths attributed to the virus. The combined mortality rate for confirmed and suspected cases stands at 48.3 percent.
Infection among health workers remains a significant concern, with 167 health workers reported infected, of whom 47 have succumbed to the disease.
The WHO has assessed the risk of further infection spread within the DRC as “very high,” while the threat level to neighboring countries is considered “high.” The second meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee, held on August 18, emphasized that “this outbreak is still far from being under control” and remains a public health emergency of international concern.
Declared in May, this outbreak has become the largest and deadliest Ebola epidemic in the country’s history and the second-largest globally, surpassed only by the Ebola outbreak that occurred in West Africa from 2014 to 2016.
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