Ebola outbreak in DR Congo kills more than 2,000

Ebola has claimed more than 2,000 lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo's latest outbreak, a surge that is approaching the severity of the country's deadliest epidemic on record. The current outbreak, declared on May 15 but believed to have been spreading for weeks prior, has affected the DRC's conflict-ridden eastern and northeastern regions.

Congolese health authorities report 2,011 deaths out of 4,381 confirmed cases. This toll places the current epidemic close to the 2018-2020 outbreak, which saw nearly 2,300 fatalities from 3,500 recorded cases. The epidemic began in the northeastern Ituri province and has since spread to other areas, including North Kivu, regions characterized by weak health infrastructure and limited state presence.

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We haven't reached the peak yet. Within the next three months, we expect to have already brought the spread under control and to start seeing it decline.

The case fatality rate for the current outbreak is estimated at 45.9%. Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba stated that the peak has not yet been reached but expressed optimism about controlling the spread within three months. However, response efforts are significantly hindered by insecurity from armed groups and a lack of trust among the local population.

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We are only seeing 30% (of infected people), where 70% of people are dying at home. This is why this Ebola is different.

Mohamed Yakub Janabi, the World Health Organization's regional director for Africa, noted that only an estimated 30% of infected individuals are being seen, with the remaining 70% dying at home. Congolese virologist Jean-Jacques Muyembe, who was involved in the initial discovery of Ebola, described the response as "slow and ineffective," citing internal coordination problems within the national response.

In parallel, WHO vaccine experts have recommended full-scale human trials for the existing Ebola vaccine to assess its cross-protection against the current strain, for which no specific vaccine is available. Early data suggests the Ervebo vaccine might offer some protection against the rare Bundibugyo strain currently circulating.

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There is an internal problem at the level of the national coordination of the response. Everyone wanted to show they were doing something, even though nothing had actually been organised.