DR Congo: WHO chief 'deeply concerned' over Bundibugyo Ebola strain spread
Key Takeaways
- WHO chief Dr Tedros says he is “deeply concerned” about the scale and speed of the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.
- The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment and can be difficult to detect due to malaria-like symptoms.
- More than 100,000 people have been displaced, with conflict and insecurity affecting contact tracing efforts.
WHO chief voices concern as more than 500 suspected Ebola cases are recorded in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has raised concern over the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where more than 500 suspected cases have been reported.
Speaking in Geneva on Tuesday, Ghebreyesus said the situation had prompted an unusual response from the WHO leadership.
“This is the first time that a Director-General has declared a week before convening an emergency committee. I did not do this lightly,” he said. “I am deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic. We will convene the emergency committee today to advise us on temporary recommendations.”
The WHO chief said the outbreak was taking place in an area experiencing large population movements, with displacement adding to the challenge of controlling the virus.
“100 000 people have been newly displaced and in Ebola outbreaks” in the area of the population high movement rate, Ghebreyesus added.
He also warned that the Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment available.
“This epidemic is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus for which there are no vaccines or therapeutics. In the absence of a vaccine, there are many other measures countries can take to stop the spread of this virus and save lives,” Ghebreyesus concluded.
On the same day, Congolese health authorities said the current strain’s “fatality rate is lower than the mortality associated with Ebola Zaire”.
The latest outbreak is the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976. It started in late April in Bunia and the Mungwalu mining zone before spreading into neighbouring Uganda, where one death has been recorded.
Health officials say the Bundibugyo strain is more difficult to identify because its early symptoms are similar to malaria. Although it has a lower fatality rate than the Zaire strain, past outbreaks linked to the virus have recorded mortality rates of up to 50 per cent.
The outbreak comes months after the DRC declared an end to its 16th Ebola outbreak in December. That outbreak recorded 64 cases and 45 deaths.
The country’s deadliest Ebola epidemic, which lasted between 2018 and 2020, claimed nearly 2,300 lives.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has also warned that ongoing rebel violence and large-scale displacement in eastern DRC are making contact tracing and outbreak response efforts more difficult.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
