The new Ebola virus outbreak in eastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has created a serious situation. According to Africa CDC, at least 87 people have died due to this infection so far. The number of deaths may increase further. The health agency has warned that the disease is now “actively spreading within the community”, making the situation even more worrying.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province of Congo a health emergency. However, WHO has also said that the current situation does not yet fall in the category of pandemic.
What did WHO say?
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that there remains “a lot of uncertainty” about the actual cases of infection and its geographical spread. According to WHO, the current Ebola infection is caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain. The health agency said that there is currently no vaccine available for this strain.
Are people dying every day?
Associated Press journalists spoke to local people in Bunia, the capital of Ituri. Referring to the continuous deaths and funerals, people described an atmosphere of fear. Bunia resident Jean Marc Asimwe said, “People are dying every day and this has been going on for about a week. Two, three or more people have to be buried a day. At the moment we do not even know exactly what disease it is.”
What is Ebola and how does it spread?
Ebola is a highly contagious virus. It spreads through contact with the blood, vomit, semen or other body fluids of an infected person. The infection can also spread through the clothes, bedding and other belongings of an infected person. This disease is rare, but it is very serious and in many cases proves to be fatal.
While giving information about this new outbreak on Friday, officials had said that 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases have been reported. But as of Saturday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 336 suspected and 13 confirmed cases. Of the confirmed cases, 4 people have died.
Is Ebola spreading to other countries?
According to reports, Ebola has reached Uganda. Uganda confirmed a case of Ebola infection on Friday. The infected person died on May 14 at Kibuli Muslim Hospital in the capital Kampala. However, Uganda’s Health Ministry said the body of the deceased has been returned to Congo and no other local cases have been reported so far.
On the other hand, Kenya has increased surveillance. Kenya said on Saturday there was a “moderate risk” of the Ebola virus reaching there due to regional travel. The Kenyan government said it has formed an Ebola preparedness team and increased surveillance at all entry points.
How does Ebola spread?
Ebola is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that affects humans and other primates. This virus first reaches humans from wild animals like fruit-eating bats and other animals. After this it starts making the person seriously ill. The average mortality rate of Ebola is considered to be around 50%. However, in previous outbreaks this rate has ranged from 25% to 90%.
The Ebola outbreak that spread in West Africa during 2014–2016 is considered the largest and most complex outbreak to date. During that time, there were a large number of deaths in many countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
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