Arabic version: تفشي الإيبولا يودي بحياة 65 شخصًا في شرق جمهورية الكونغو الديمقراطية
According to The Guardian,
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed 65 people, according to health officials. The outbreak is centered in Ituri province, which borders Uganda and South Sudan, and has seen 246 suspected cases of the disease reported.
Health officials in Uganda have also confirmed an outbreak, with a 59-year-old man dying in a Kampala hospital after traveling from the DRC. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) expressed concerns about the potential for further spread due to the high mobility of populations in the region, particularly in mining towns.
Ebola is a severe illness characterized by a high fatality rate, primarily transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or deceased individuals during funeral practices. The Africa CDC reported that the DRC’s national research laboratory found the Ebola virus in 13 out of 20 samples tested. Notably, the samples identified were of the Bundibugyo strain, which lacks a licensed vaccine, unlike the more commonly encountered Zaire strain.
The DRC has experienced 16 outbreaks of Ebola since the virus was first identified in 1976. Previous Bundibugyo outbreaks occurred in 2007 and 2012. In response to the current situation, the Africa CDC is convening an urgent meeting with health authorities from the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, the World Health Organization, and pharmaceutical companies to discuss coordinated actions.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, emphasized the need for rapid regional coordination due to the high population movement between affected areas and neighboring countries. The majority of reported cases have emerged from the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, with additional suspected cases noted in Bunia. Experts suggest that a combination of factors, including close human contact with animal reservoirs, urban-rural population movements, and environmental conditions, contribute to the regular occurrence of Ebola outbreaks in the DRC.
