Ebola outbreak: Deaths top 1500, More than 600 recoveries in DRC

The Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has affected five provinces and 48 health zones.

In the province of Ituri, the health zones concerned are: Aru, Angumu, Bambu, Bunia, Damas, Drodro, Gety, Kilo, Komanda, Lita, Logo, Mambasa, Mangala, Mongbwalu, Nizi, Nyankunde, Rimba, Rwampara, Tchomia, Kambala, Nia-Nia, Fataki, Mandima, Lolwa, Boga, Ariwara, Mahagi and Adja.

In the province of North Kivu, the health zones concerned are: Beni, Butembo, Goma, Kalunguta, Katwa, Kyondo, Oicha, Masereka, Vuhovi, Mabalako and Musienene.

South Kivu province has only one affected health zone, Miti-Murhesa, which has gone 63 days without a new confirmed case and continues residual surveillance.

In Haut-Uélé, the affected health zones are Boma Mangbetu, Isiro, Pawa, Rungu and Wamba. In Tshopo, the areas concerned are Lubunga, Makiso-Kisangani and Mangobo.

According to the epidemiological bulletin, there are 3,532 cumulative confirmed cases in the five provinces, 807 patients in isolation or hospitalized, 626 people recovered, 1,556 cumulative deaths among confirmed cases, an overall case fatality rate of 44.1% and an overall contact tracing rate of 78.7%.

This is now the world’s second largest outbreak on record.

Less than three months since the outbreak began, the disease has killed five times as many people as previous outbreaks had by the same stage, according to Africa’s top public health agency, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The latest figures indicated that only the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was bigger with 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths recorded across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The outbreak, declared on May 15, has been linked to the Bundibugyo virus for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. Delays in contact tracing, difficulties accessing affected areas, mistrust from communities and violence by armed groups and some residents have hampered the response, the Africa CDC said.

Neighboring Uganda declared itself free of Ebola on Tuesday following the discharge of the country’s last patient in mid-June.