The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is escalating at an alarming rate, with the number of cases surpassing 4. Health authorities have warned that the time for gradual measures is over and are preparing to move to a new phase, with door-to-door checks to identify patients. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus, was first reported on May 15, although authorities suspect transmission may have started as early as January. As of August 4, 3,973 cases and 1,801 deaths had been recorded, while the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr. Jean Kaseya, confirmed that the number of cases had now surpassed 4.
According to authorities, this is the second largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. Its scale is much larger than those recorded at the same stage of the 2014-2018 West African epidemic, which in total infected more than 28 people and caused at least 11 deaths. Kaseya said he has discussed the situation with the head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and studies are planned to verify whether there are other factors affecting the spread of the virus or whether the virus has changed.
The alarm is also heightened by the high rate of undetected transmission. More than two-thirds of Ebola deaths occur in the community rather than in treatment centers. At a center run by Doctors Without Borders in Bunia, about 90% of hospitalized patients are not on the contact lists of known cases. Contact tracing is also considered inadequate. According to the Africa CDC, about 10 contacts are currently identified for each Ebola patient, while the expected number is about 40. Ebola causes a severe viral disease that can cause high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, organ damage and internal bleeding. The outbreak is mainly concentrated in Ituri province, but has also been reported in other parts of the country, including North Kivu, South Kivu and other provinces. Neighboring Uganda reported 20 cases before the situation there was brought under control.
Faced with the rapid spread, response teams are changing strategies. Health workers are expected to shift from traditional contact tracing to active case finding, going door-to-door to ask families about people with suspicious symptoms. “The time for gradual action is over,” said Dr. Wesham Mankula, deputy director of the Africa CDC, announcing the start of the escalation phase. Authorities have also announced the use of remdesivir to treat patients. According to health officials, traditional public health measures will not be enough to quickly stop the epidemic.
Meanwhile, Congolese authorities are investigating a suspected Ebola death on a ship traveling to the capital Kinshasa from the country's northeast. Other passengers are expected to be quarantined and tested. UNICEF has warned that the outbreak is also affecting basic health services, as fears of infection and disruptions to services are causing many families to avoid clinics.
