Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed the Ebola outbreak has spread to a sixth province, a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general warned the outbreak could surpass the deadliest outbreak in history.
Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said a death was recorded in Bas-Uele province, which had not previously been affected. The individual traveled from Isiro in Haut-Uele province to Buta, the capital of Bas-Uele, and died upon arrival.
According to the latest government data, the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus has killed more than 2,100 people out of over 4,500 cases. No vaccine or treatment has been approved yet for this virus strain.
The current fatality rate is nearly three times faster than the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the worst in history. In remarks on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the new outbreak could surpass that record. The disease has affected 6 of the country’s 26 provinces.
The situation is complicated by unpaid health workers going on strike, rebel groups threatening security, frustrated communities that have already suffered greatly, and misinformation denying the existence of the Ebola outbreak.
At the Nizi treatment center in Ituri province, one of the hardest-hit areas, health workers staged a strike on Thursday over three months of unpaid salaries, forcing the center to temporarily close.
The true scale of the outbreak remains unclear. The epidemic was declared on May 15, but WHO said genome sequencing results suggest it began as early as February.
Health officials said 60-70% of new cases were reported outside the list of contacts being monitored, meaning the virus is spreading at an alarming rate. Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said this week: “We are chasing the virus, and the virus is ahead.”
Ebola is a rare but highly contagious disease that can spread through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen, as well as contaminated surfaces and items like bedding, linen, and clothing. The disease causes severe symptoms and a high fatality rate.
Clinical trials of two potential treatments for this Ebola strain began last month in Ituri province.
