The outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo virus strain has now confirmed 782 cases.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced a significant surge in infections, with the Ebola outbreak seemingly gaining momentum.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Public Health reported 72 new confirmed cases within the last day, bringing the total number of infections to 782. Furthermore, 32 additional fatalities have raised the death toll to 181.
This alarming increase is occurring amid regional conflicts, escapees from healthcare facilities, and ineffective contact tracing efforts that complicate containment. Last week, there was a heightened alert as the virus has spread to new territories within the DRC.
Officials note that the Bundibugyo virus variant has recorded a death rate of 22.8 percent so far, while 40 individuals have reportedly recovered.
Jean Kaseya, the director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasized the commitment to assisting affected countries until the virus is contained. He urged partners and donors to quickly mobilize resources to enhance the response and save lives.
The outbreak is attributed to the less common Bundibugyo strain, which lacks an approved vaccine or treatment. This contrasts with the Zaire strain responsible for 16 previous Ebola outbreaks in the DRC.
As for contact tracing, coverage has dropped to 56.5 percent, a steep decline from the target of 95%, according to officials from the Health Ministry.
Doctors Without Borders, known as MSF, expressed concern that “no one knows the true scale” of the situation due to severe lapses in surveillance and testing.
Currently, Ituri province is at the heart of the outbreak, accounting for nearly 95 percent of the confirmed cases. The virus has also extended into North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and has crossed into Uganda.
Adding to the medical crisis, Ituri is facing a humanitarian emergency, with nearly a million residents displaced by ongoing armed conflicts. Various groups, including the M23 rebels controlling Goma in North Kivu, have contributed to decades of instability, with reports of over 100 civilians killed in violent clashes over control of the region’s rich gold resources.
Numerous artisanal miners frequent secretive mining locations throughout the mineral-abundant area, creating spots that evade health monitoring and may facilitate virus transmission. It’s believed the outbreak originated in the mining-centric Mongbwalu Health Zone.
The World Health Organization announced efforts to increase diagnostic testing and enhance contact surveillance. However, MSF has flagged a critical funding shortage of $21.5 million that is hindering these essential response actions.
