WHO calls for increased support to combat Ebola outbreak in DRC

August 5, 06:06

WHO representative Tarik Jasarevic stated in Geneva that the outbreak, unfortunately, is exceeding the capacity of the current response. He emphasized the need for additional financial aid and other resources to expand all areas of work, including treatment facilities, field investigation teams, safe burial groups, and public outreach.

According to the WHO, 3,802 confirmed cases of Ebola have been registered in the DRC, resulting in 1,707 deaths. Furthermore, 727 patients have recovered, and 275 suspected cases are under investigation. Currently, 17,000 contacts of infected individuals are being monitored, with over 80% undergoing daily checks.

Although cases have been recorded in five provinces, nearly 90% are concentrated in the northeastern province of Ituri, with the remainder focused in the neighboring North Kivu province. Jasarevic noted that the response must be focused on the areas of current virus spread and potential future risk zones.

Various trials of potential therapies, vaccines, and antiviral drugs are currently underway following exposure. Wasse Moorti, WHO's head of research and development, reported that preliminary results look promising. Moorti added that new data is emerging regarding whether the vaccine Ervebo, which acts against the Zaire ebolavirus, provides cross-protection against the Bundibugyo virus in animals.

The WHO Advisory Group on Vaccines reviewed the relevant data on Friday and plans to publish recommendations later this week. Among the two leading candidate vaccines are one based on the ChAdOx1 platform, developed by Oxford University and the Indian Serological Institute, and another created by the American pharmaceutical company Moderna using mRNA technology.

Depending on the results obtained, developers will determine the optimal dosage level for transitioning to full-scale Phase III clinical trials in humans. In the Ituri province, two potential treatments are being tested among confirmed Ebola patients: the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, both alone and in combination. Concurrently, a study is being conducted on the antiviral drug obeldesivir for people who have been exposed to confirmed Bundibugyo cases.

Moorti reported that more than 25 high-risk individuals in Ituri have been enrolled to assess whether this oral medication, taken for 10 days, can prevent the development of the disease.

nplus1.ruJuly 31, 10:13

Ebola fever death toll in DRC exceeds one and a half thousand

According to ABC News, citing the country's government, the total number of registered cases of hemorrhagic fever Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached 3442. The number of deaths from this disease amounts to 1521 people.

Dynamics and Scale of the Outbreak

The situation intensified over the last week: the number of new cases increased by almost a thousand, and the number of victims by five hundred. Due to the rapid growth in morbidity and mortality, the outbreak has reached record proportions in the history of observations. Despite the efforts of the government and international organizations, localizing the epidemic remains a difficult task.

Situation in Neighboring Countries

Meanwhile, neighboring Uganda announced the end of the infection outbreak on its territory. This decision was made after 42 days since the discharge of the last patient, which corresponds to double the incubation period of the disease. Uganda recorded 20 cases of infection, including two fatalities.

International Response and Treatment

Information about the Ebola fever outbreak in Congo and Uganda, caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was disclosed on May 17, 2026. The World Health Organization immediately classified this situation as a public health emergency of international concern. Since there are no approved vaccines or drugs for this virus, clinical trials of two experimental drugs have been urgently initiated in Congo: a combination of two pan-ebolavirus monoclonal antibodies, MBP134, and a low-molecular-weight antiviral agent from the nucleoside analog group of remdesivir. These drugs are planned to be used both individually and in combination. Experts predict that this outbreak may prove to be the most severe in history, and its containment could take more than a year.

Study on the Effect of Sugar on Health

In another field, scientists analyzed data from a population natural experiment conducted in Great Britain. Bin Zhang and his colleagues found that restricting sugar intake during the first thousand days after conception helps reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders later in life. The study used data from 60,400 people from the UK Biobank database who were born between 1951 and 1956.

During and after World War II, restrictions on the consumption of sugar and sweets were in effect in Great Britain until 1953: adults were allowed to consume less than 40 grams per day, children less than 15 grams, and during the first two years of a child's life, sugar was completely excluded from the diet. These restrictions were lifted after 1953. Researchers compared the probability of central nervous system disorders occurring in people who were subject to such restrictions in utero and in early childhood with those who were not exposed to them. The results of the work were published in the journal npj Aging.