Update on Ebola Outbreak

According to the World Health Organization, the current Ebola outbreak has now led to at least 220 suspected deaths. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on Monday that a delay in identifying cases means health workers are now in a position of trying to “catch up.”

As Ugandan health officials reported two new cases on Monday, the total number of infections in Uganda climbed to seven. This comes alongside over 900 suspected cases across the border in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

All cases in Uganda are connected to the outbreak in Congo, which seems to have begun days, or maybe weeks, before the formal declaration of the outbreak on May 15. A 59-year-old Congolese man was admitted to a hospital in Kampala on May 11, but died three days later, without anyone knowing he had the virus. Subsequently, two other Congolese individuals who sought treatment in Uganda tested positive for Ebola.

Recently, Ugandan authorities confirmed the first local infections: a driver and a health worker who had been exposed to the deceased Congolese patient. On Monday, the Ministry of Health added that two additional health workers from a private hospital in Kampala have also tested positive.

In Congo, authorities indicated that the number of suspected Ebola cases in the eastern Ituri province has exceeded 900, where the outbreak is primarily concentrated. Confirmed cases there have surpassed 100.

The situation is exacerbated in the region by fear, distrust, and recent attacks on healthcare facilities, which make it even harder for health workers to manage the outbreak effectively.

The WHO has officially classified the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern. The specific type of Ebola virus responsible, the Bundibugyo strain, does not currently have an approved vaccine or treatment. However, there are reports that researchers at the University of Oxford are working on a potential vaccine that could enter clinical trials in a couple of months.

Violence and Evacuations

On Sunday evening, a group of angry youth stormed a hospital in eastern Congo treating Ebola patients, leading medical staff to quickly evacuate patients amid gunfire. It’s unclear if anyone was injured during the attack. Hospital Director Dr. Richard Lokudu mentioned that attackers demanded the release of two bodies of their relatives.

While trying to manage the situation, Lokudu stated that “Mongbwalu General Hospital is on general alert.” This was one of several recent attacks on healthcare facilities, highlighting the significant challenges facing medical teams working under extreme pressure and limited resources.

Notably, handling bodies of those who succumbed to Ebola can be very risky, as they may transmit the virus during preparations for burial and during funerals. In response, Congolese authorities have mandated that these burials should be conducted by officials to minimize risks, although this has often led to protests from grieving families. Last Friday, officials announced a ban on gatherings over 50 people in northeastern Congo to help contain the virus.

Recently, residents in Mongbwalu attacked and burned a tent set up for Ebola patients by Doctors Without Borders, causing 18 individuals with suspected infections to flee and go unaccounted for. Another treatment center in Rwampara was burned down after families were not allowed to recover the body of a local man suspected of dying from Ebola.

The WHO has assessed the outbreak as posing a “very high” risk for Congo, a change from a prior assessment of “high,” although the global risk remains relatively low. Earlier communication from the Congolese Ministry of Communication indicated that suspected Ebola deaths numbered 119, but separate figures from regions totaled up to 220, creating a slight confusion that officials have yet to clarify.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported that three of its volunteers died in Mongbwalu, likely after contracting the virus while managing deceased bodies as part of a separate humanitarian effort. If this is confirmed, it could shift the timeline surrounding this outbreak significantly.