Ebola deaths in DRC reach 580, according to official bulletin

The latest outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached an alarming threshold, surpassing 500 deaths.

Infection Data

According to a report published on Sunday by the country's health authorities, 1,561 confirmed cases and 506 deaths have been officially registered. Furthermore, 254 patients have recovered, while another 628 confirmed cases are under observation in hospitals or in isolation.

Epidemic Spread

Additionally, authorities have identified 354 suspected cases, including 110 deaths. The report indicates that the outbreak has affected 36 health zones across three provinces. Confirmed cases continue to rise weekly, with epidemiological weeks 25 and 26 showing the highest figures since the start of the outbreak, exceeding 300 confirmed cases each, which suggests ongoing community transmission of the infection.

Treatment Clinical Trials

The World Health Organization reported on Thursday that patient recruitment has begun in the DRC for clinical trials aimed at evaluating potential treatments for Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. Currently, there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this virus. These clinical trials started at the CME Ebola Treatment Center in the Rwampara health zone, which is the epicenter of the outbreak in the Ituri province.

According to the latest bulletin released by the Ministry of Communication and Media of the DR Congo, Ebola-related figures were updated until Thursday. The total number of deaths was raised to 492, and the number of active cases reached 1,528. The current recorded fatality rate is 32.2%.

Epidemic Situation and Surveillance

Currently, 628 individuals are in isolation or receiving hospital treatment, while 239 people have recovered from the disease. Contact tracing efforts are at 81.5%, monitoring a total of 9,971 contacts. The ministry reported that awareness activities, educational sessions, home visits, and community agent training continue on a large scale to strengthen community adherence to preventive measures and early seeking of medical assistance.

Epicenter and Regional Spread

The outbreak was officially declared on May 15th in the Ituri province, which serves as the epicenter of the epidemic, due to its location on the border with Uganda and South Sudan. However, the disease has also spread to the Congolese provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. Furthermore, the epidemic has reached Uganda, where 20 infection cases have been confirmed, 15 of which are classified as imported from the DR Congo, resulting in two deaths in that country.

International Cases and Viral Strain

Additionally, the French Government confirmed the identification of the first positive case of Ebola virus disease in its territory. This case belonged to a doctor returning from a mission in the DR Congo and subsequently recovered, being out of danger. The outbreak in question is associated with the Bundibugyo strain, whose mortality rate ranges between 30% and 50%. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this strain does not have an authorized vaccine or specific treatment.

Global Classification and History

The WHO assesses the risk of epidemic spread in Sub-Saharan Africa as 'high', while the global risk is considered 'low'. The organization estimated that the virus began circulating in Ituri approximately two months before the official declaration of the outbreak and classified the epidemic as a 'public health emergency of international concern' on May 17th. This outbreak represents the third worst Ebola epidemic ever recorded. It is surpassed only by the epidemics that affected West Africa between 2014 and 2016, which caused about 11,000 deaths and 28,000 infections, and the one that occurred in eastern DR Congo between 2018 and 2020, responsible for 2,299 deaths and 3,481 cases.

Transmission and Symptoms

The Ebola virus is transmitted through direct contact with the body fluids of infected people or animals and manifests with severe hemorrhagic fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal hemorrhaging.

The Congolese Ministry of Communication and Media released a balance indicating that more than a quarter of the 1,155 confirmed cases in DR Congo have died. Previously, the record showed 1,118 infected and 291 deaths in the country, considered one of the poorest in the world. The outbreak, officially declared on May 15th in Ituri, has spread to the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.

Jean Kaseya, director-general of the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that 95% of hospital beds in DR Congo are already occupied, requiring more treatment centers. Furthermore, 20 cases and two deaths were recorded in neighboring Uganda, and the first positive case was detected in France, in a humanitarian doctor returning from a mission in DR Congo. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the risk of spread as high in Sub-Saharan Africa, while clinical trials of experimental drugs will begin in Bunia, the capital of Ituri.