Ebola epidemic in DRC could be 'two to four times' larger than official estimates, WHO says

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may be significantly underestimated, potentially being "two to four times" larger than current official figures suggest. Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of the WHO's health emergencies program, indicated that while detection capabilities are improving daily, projections point to a much wider scale of the outbreak.

Officially, the epidemic, declared two months ago, has resulted in over 700 deaths and nearly 2,000 cases. It originated in Ituri province in the northeast and has since spread to four other provinces within the DRC, with 20 cases also reported in neighboring Uganda. Ihekweazu described it as the third-largest Ebola epidemic on record and the fastest-progressing in a single month that the WHO has managed.

A major concern highlighted by Ihekweazu is that many new cases involve individuals who died within their communities without ever reaching a health facility. "We must detect cases earlier," he stated, emphasizing the need to accelerate contact tracing and ensure health facilities are accessible, safe, and trusted by the communities they serve. He noted that over 90% of cases are still being detected in Ituri.

Despite the grim outlook, Ihekweazu pointed to encouraging developments. The rate of follow-up with contacts is nearing 80%, 700 beds are now available for treating patients, and the number of laboratory facilities has increased from one to fourteen. Additionally, two treatments are currently being tested locally, and the National Biomedical Research Institute in Kinshasa is involved in these efforts.