THE World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading rapidly, even as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the deadly virus.
Speaking today, WHO Regional Emergencies Director for Africa, Marie-Roseline Belizaire, described the outbreak as a serious and fast-evolving public health crisis, noting that response teams are working tirelessly to keep pace with its spread.
Belizaire, who addressed journalists from Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, acknowledged the growing challenges posed by the outbreak but said the response effort has continued to gain momentum.
The current outbreak, officially declared on May 15, had already been circulating undetected for some time before health authorities confirmed its presence. It is linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine currently exists.
According to the latest WHO figures, the DRC has recorded 896 confirmed infections and 232 deaths.
Health officials reported 21 new cases within the last 24 hours alone.
More than 90 per cent of the infections have been concentrated in Ituri Province, an area already grappling with insecurity and armed conflict.
Cases have also been identified in the neighbouring provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, raising concerns about further geographical spread.
Belizaire noted that the outbreak’s rapid progression has forced health authorities to continually expand their response capacity.
She revealed that the number of available treatment beds for Ebola patients has increased from none at the start of the crisis to more than 500.
Efforts to identify and isolate potential cases have also intensified. Surveillance teams are currently investigating close to 400 alerts and now have the capacity to conduct over 2,000 laboratory tests daily.
Contact tracing operations have similarly been strengthened, with health workers successfully monitoring about 75 per cent of individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
WHO, however, has previously indicated that tracing at least 95 per cent of contacts is essential to effectively contain the outbreak.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Uganda remains the only other country affected by the current outbreak. Authorities there have confirmed 19 cases, including two fatalities, while 10 patients have recovered.
Encouragingly, Uganda has not recorded any new Ebola infections in the past 12 days, offering hope that containment measures in the country may be proving effective.
Health experts continue to stress the importance of surveillance, testing, isolation, and contact tracing as key tools in preventing further transmission of the virus, which spreads through close contact with infected individuals and bodily fluids.
