DR Congo Ebola outbreak reaches ‘defining moment,’ WHO warns
Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have surpassed 5,500, with more than 2,600 deaths, according to government figures released Monday, as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the outbreak had reached a “defining moment” more than 100 days after it was declared.
The latest official figures, covering data through Saturday, recorded 5,514 confirmed cases and 2,642 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate of 47.9 percent. A total of 1,200 patients have recovered, Xinhua reported.
The outbreak has spread across 57 health zones in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele and Tshopo.
The WHO said Monday that the epidemic has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC, warning that transmission continues to outpace efforts to contain the disease.
“This outbreak has reached a defining moment,” WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Janabi said in a statement. “The choices we make now will determine how quickly we can bring this outbreak under control, protect and save lives.”
Ituri remains the epicenter of the outbreak, accounting for about 85 percent of all cases and 79 percent of deaths, according to the WHO.
Deaths occurring outside Ebola treatment centers remain a major concern. The WHO said deaths in communities accounted for around 60 percent of fatalities recorded in recent weeks, highlighting continuing challenges with early detection, patient referrals and access to treatment.
The organization said insecurity, recurring conflict, population displacement, attacks on health facilities, reluctance among some communities and difficult access were continuing to hinder response operations, particularly in eastern parts of the DRC.
“We can bring the Ebola outbreak under control but only through scaled-up action in affected communities,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, calling for sustained resources and stronger cooperation between national and local authorities, affected communities and international partners.
Response capacity has expanded significantly since the outbreak began. The number of laboratories capable of testing for Ebola has increased from one to 19, with the capacity to process more than 3,000 samples per day, while treatment capacity has expanded from fewer than 10 beds to more than 1,300, according to the WHO.
Clinical trials of potential treatments and evaluations of candidate vaccines are also underway. The WHO said the first emergency-listed molecular diagnostic test for Bundibugyo virus disease has been deployed.
The agency warned that the coming months would be critical for closing remaining gaps and reducing transmission, adding that an end to fighting in affected areas was also essential to allow health teams to reach affected communities.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was declared by DRC authorities in May.
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