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Ebola outbreak in DRC is 'fastest growing ever,' killing 600
🇸🇬 Singapore /Health & Science

Ebola outbreak in DRC is 'fastest growing ever,' killing 600

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the fastest growing ever, with 600 confirmed deaths among 1,759 cases.
  • Health authorities are seeking US$1.4 billion to contain the virus, which is spreading faster than response efforts.
  • The current outbreak is caused by a rare species of Ebola with no approved vaccine or treatment, and has a 34% fatality rate.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, outpacing containment efforts and claiming 600 lives among 1,759 confirmed cases. African health authorities described the situation as the "fastest growing Ebola outbreak ever," noting that the virus is spreading faster than resources can be deployed.

This is the fastest growing Ebola outbreak ever, not only among the previous Bundibugyo outbreaks, but all the different viruses that are causing Ebola.

— Wessam MankoulaHead of emergency preparedness and response for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), describing the current outbreak to reporters.

Officials are urgently appealing for US$1.4 billion to bolster the response, emphasizing the need for both financial and human resources. "We need to surge our response, and surging our response means financial resources, human resources," stated Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. He urged partners and donors to expedite funding.

Unfortunately the virus is still ahead of our response. It's moving faster than deploying the resources to control the situation.

— Wessam MankoulaAfrica CDC official explaining the challenges in containing the rapid spread of the virus.

The current outbreak is attributed to the Bundibugyo species, a rare strain for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. This species is believed to have been spreading undetected for some time. The World Health Organization reports a case fatality rate of 34 percent in the DRC. While 285 patients have recovered, 304 suspected cases remain under investigation. The outbreak is primarily concentrated in Ituri province, though it has affected four provinces in total.

We need to surge our response, and surging our response means financial resources, human resources.

— Wessam MankoulaAfrica CDC official appealing for increased funding and personnel to combat the outbreak.

Efforts to combat the virus include the trial of two potential treatments, the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, which began on July 2. The DRC's 17th Ebola outbreak was declared on May 15, impacting a region already grappling with instability due to armed groups.

We are urging all partners, donors ... to fast-track the disbursement of those resources.

— Wessam MankoulaAfrica CDC official calling for swift financial aid.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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