WHO report on Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo ‘serious and spreading very quickly’
this World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday that the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading rapidly even as response efforts are expanding.“The epidemic is still serious and it is developing very fast. However, I see that the response is getting stronger day by day,” Marie-Roselyn Bellisaire, WHO’s Africa emergencies chief, told reporters in Bunia, the epicenter of the epidemic.She added that contact tracing had improved and now had contacted about 75% of known contacts, although the WHO said at least 95% of contacts must be traced to effectively control the outbreak.The outbreak was declared on May 15, but the virus is believed to have been spreading undetected for some time before then.Belizel noted that some patients first seek help from traditional healers or stay at home before going to a health facility, which delays treatment. She added that treatment capacity has increased significantly, from zero beds to more than 500 beds.The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, for which there is currently no vaccine or effective treatment.According to the World Health Organization, there have been 896 confirmed cases and 232 deaths so far, including 21 new cases reported in the past 24 hours.More than 90% of cases are concentrated in the conflict-affected province of Ituri, although the virus has also spread to North and South Kivu.A total of 78 people have recovered, which Belizell said is a reminder that prompt diagnosis and access to health care can save lives.(Using AFP input)
