The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to a sixth province after a fatal case was recorded in the previously unaffected Bas-Uele province. The information was confirmed on Thursday by Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
According to Kaseya, the patient died in Buta, the capital of Bas-Uele, after traveling from Haut-Uele province. He warned: “If we do not contain this outbreak, it will last more than a year and become the largest outbreak in the world,” adding that the risk of spread to other countries would increase.
The outbreak began in the northeastern Ituri province, then spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo provinces. According to government data, the disease has caused 2,128 deaths out of 4,566 infections. The Bundibugyo virus strain causing this outbreak is rare, and no vaccine or treatment has been approved for it.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday that at the current rate, the epidemic could surpass the deadliest outbreak ever recorded more than a decade ago, which killed more than 11,000 people.
The outbreak was officially declared on May 15, but health officials say the virus began spreading in February. WHO hopes to curb the spread within three months, but warns the outbreak will not end by then.
Ebola is a rare but highly infectious disease transmitted through bodily fluids and contaminated surfaces or objects such as bedding and clothing. It causes severe symptoms and is often fatal.
Clinical trials for two potential treatments began in Ituri province last month. WHO also said two vaccines developed specifically for the Bundibugyo virus are being tested in humans for the first time. The UN health agency also plans to test an existing Ebola vaccine to see if it can protect against the new strain, after promising results in animal studies.
