Another orphan dies from Ebola as Congo outbreak spreads

Mourners gathered in eastern Congo to bury a 6-month-old girl who succumbed to Ebola earlier this week, bringing the death toll among children at a local orphanage to three. The tragedy underscores the challenges authorities face in containing the latest Ebola outbreak.

Health workers, clad in protective gear, conducted the burial, adhering to safe burial practices that have been a point of friction with some residents. Father Innocent Ndogo, officiating the service, expressed the community's grief, stating, "It's a feeling of sadness because we have lost one of our own, a daughter of the church."

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It's a feeling of sadness because we have lost one of our own, a daughter of the church.

The current outbreak is centered in the Ituri region, accounting for over 90% of the cases. The response has been hampered by clashes between residents and healthcare professionals, partly due to disruptions caused by safe burial protocols and the sometimes militarized nature of the outbreak response. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, responsible for this outbreak, lacks approved treatments or vaccines, further complicating efforts.

Globally, the outbreak has registered 894 confirmed cases and more than 200 deaths. Cases have also spread across the border into Uganda, where 19 confirmed cases and two deaths have been reported. While this outbreak is more severe than a previous one in Uganda in 2000, it is less deadly than the 2014 outbreak that claimed over 11,000 lives. Officials urge against indifference, emphasizing the devastating impact of the disease, particularly on vulnerable populations like the orphaned child.

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She was a baby. She had her whole life ahead of her. Unfortunately, she was taken by the disease, a disease that, as you know, is transmitted from one person to another.