WHO: Ebola Spreading Faster Than Ever in DRC

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning: Ebola is spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo at an unprecedented speed. "In the last month, its spread has been faster than any previous outbreak," stated WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. This current outbreak, the 17th in the DRC, was declared on May 15th and has already surpassed 2,000 confirmed cases, including 796 deaths, making it the third-largest Ebola outbreak recorded.

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More than 2,000 cases, including 796 deaths, have been confirmed in the DRC since the outbreak was announced two months ago. This makes it the third-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

Comparing the current situation to past events, Tedros noted that the major Ebola outbreak in the DRC from 2018-2020 took over 10 months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases. The current outbreak, however, reached this grim milestone in just two months. Cases have been detected across five DRC provinces and in neighboring Uganda, with the highest numbers concentrated in the conflict-ridden Ituri province.

Despite significant improvements in the response, including a rapid increase in treatment capacity to 800 beds and a rise in laboratory facilities from one to 16, the WHO chief acknowledged that the outbreak continues to outpace these efforts. "More than 80 percent of new cases are being detected outside of the known contact list, indicating that chains of transmission are still being missed," he warned. Approximately two-thirds of deaths have occurred within communities, among individuals who did not receive care in health facilities.

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In the last month, its spread has been faster than any previous outbreak.

The situation is further complicated because this outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment. However, Tedros expressed optimism about promising developments in vaccine and therapy trials. Clinical trials for two potential treatments, monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, are underway in Ituri. Additionally, the first safety trial for the ChAdOx1 vaccine, led by Oxford University, began recently, alongside a trial for the antiviral obeldesivir to test its effectiveness as a post-exposure prophylaxis for those who have been in contact with confirmed cases but show no symptoms.

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more than 80 percent of new cases are being detected outside of the known contact list, indicating that chains of transmission are still being missed.