More than 3,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to official government data, as WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the response must identify and break every transmission chain.
Tedros said in Geneva on Wednesday that unknown chains of transmission continue to threaten the DRC, its neighbours and the wider region. The United States Centers for Disease Control said containment efforts were below established response targets, with up to 80 percent of new cases occurring outside known contacts.
Why tracing contacts has become difficult
Tedros said it remained unclear how many people had contact with the virus before dying, indicating that health officials do not know all the chains through which Ebola is spreading.
The CDC’s assessment that most new cases are occurring outside known contacts makes it harder for responders to find infections quickly. Conflict in mineral-rich regions, weak infrastructure, healthcare-worker strikes and some burial practices have added obstacles to the response. For additional context, see “DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak passes the country’s previous death toll”.
Funding and vaccines remain central to the response
The WHO is trying to reduce a response funding gap of more than $1bn. Tedros acknowledged that the appeal comes as humanitarian financing has contracted and other crises are competing for support, but said previous Ebola outbreaks showed the epidemic could be controlled if resources were provided.
The outbreak is described as the DRC’s largest, deadliest and fastest-growing. Vaccine trials are under way, with plans to deploy a vaccine immediately if one proves effective; the Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved treatment or vaccine. A related part of this story is covered in “What the new Ebola transmission finding means for the DRC outbreak”.
Schools reopen in worst-hit areas
A DRC official said schools in areas most affected by Ebola reopened this week despite earlier plans to move to remote learning. Authorities shelved that plan after concluding it would seriously hinder students’ learning and pose a greater risk than Ebola itself.
What happens next
Vaccine trials will continue, with the intention of immediately rolling out a vaccine if any candidate proves effective, while the WHO seeks funding to close the response gap. The development of this issue can be followed in “Ebola outbreak in the DRC worsens as deaths reach 2,642”.
No comments yet. Start the discussion.