Kinshasa, July 5 (IANS). There have been 1,528 confirmed cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including 492 deaths, as the disease continues to spread in the country.
According to a report released by DRC public health authorities on Saturday, a total of 239 patients have recovered, while 628 confirmed patients are currently in isolation or hospitalized. Authorities have also identified 185 suspected cases, Xinhua news agency reported.
The report said that the number of confirmed cases is increasing every week. Epidemiologically, the highest number of cases were recorded in weeks 25 and 26 – with more than 300 cases in both weeks – indicating continued community transmission.
The report cites several major challenges, such as community resistance to collecting samples for post-mortem, lack of capacity in Ebola treatment centers (particularly in the eastern province of North Kivu), poor contact tracing, delays in laboratory testing, shortages of medical and infection-prevention equipment, insecurity and limited access to some affected areas.
Speaking at an online media briefing, Mohammed Yacoub Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa, said the situation remained critical and infections were spreading in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.
Janabi said the current outbreak is the largest Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak to date, Xinhua news agency reported.
Pierre Aklimali, WHO expert in the DRC, said the outbreak is spreading in areas affected by insecurity and the activities of armed groups, making it difficult to detect cases and contact tracing. Some of the affected areas of Ituri are mining zones, where the risk of spreading the virus has increased due to the constant movement of people from outside.
WHO said on Thursday that a clinical trial involving patients has been launched in DRC to evaluate a potential treatment for Ebola, caused by the Bundibugyo virus. There is currently no recognized vaccine or specific treatment available for this virus.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Sensasi, WHO expert in Uganda, said there were 20 confirmed cases in the country as of Thursday, including 15 imported cases. The remaining five locally infected people were identified during quarantine and no cases of community spread have been observed. Sensasi said Uganda and the DRC have established a cross-border joint response mechanism and signed a memorandum of understanding under which the two countries will share surveillance information and strengthen screening and treatment capacity in border areas.
–IANS
PIM/AS
