Congo Ebola Cases Increase: The Ebola virus outbreak in Congo is becoming increasingly serious. According to the Health Ministry, 72 new infected patients were found in just 24 hours on Sunday, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 782. In the same period, 32 new deaths were confirmed, after which the death toll reached 181.
Experts believe that the actual number of infected people may be higher than the official figures, as the infection had spread to many areas even before the outbreak was officially announced on May 15. To make the situation more serious, the contact tracing coverage rate has dropped to 56 percent, making it difficult to break the chain of infection.
Ebola infection spread due to Bundibugyo virus strain
According to the information, this time the Ebola virus infection has spread due to Bundibugyo virus strain, which is considered relatively rare. Its biggest challenge is that there is currently no approved vaccine or effective treatment available against it. In contrast, most Ebola outbreaks previously reported in Congo were associated with the Zaire strain, for which there are vaccines and treatment options.
The Health Ministry said that so far 56 patients have recovered from the infection and become healthy. However, the mortality rate in the current outbreak remains at 23 per cent, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
WHO and Africa CDC increased efforts
In view of the growing crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced to speed up the process of testing, contact tracing and treatment of patients. At the same time, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is also working to strengthen lab systems, find active cases and increase community awareness.
Also read- 82 people died due to Ebola in Congo; Virus spreads to Uganda, will it wreak havoc in Africa?
Violence and displacement become big challenges
The largest epicenter of the current outbreak is Congo’s eastern Ituri province, where more than 90 percent of cases have been recorded. The infection has also reached North Kivu, South Kivu and neighboring country Uganda. According to the United Nations, about one million people have been displaced due to the ongoing violence and armed conflict in Ituri, making it extremely difficult to identify and track infected people.
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