The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that nearly 500 Ebola infections have been recorded in the rapidly spreading outbreak affecting Central Africa, intensifying fears that the epidemic could become one of the largest in recent history.
In its latest situation report released on Saturday, the WHO said 452 confirmed cases, including 82 deaths, have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the outbreak was officially declared three weeks ago.
Across the border in Uganda, health authorities have confirmed 19 cases and two deaths linked to the virus, bringing the combined total to 471 confirmed infections and 84 fatalities in the two countries.
The figures represent a sharp increase of 100 cases and 20 deaths compared to the previous day, underscoring the speed at which the outbreak is spreading.
The WHO has already designated the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, warning that the situation could deteriorate further without urgent intervention.
Adding to concerns, Jason Asher, Director of the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said models indicate the outbreak could potentially rival the devastating 2014 West African Ebola epidemic if aggressive containment measures are not implemented.
“That scale is possible,” Asher said during a briefing on Friday, referencing the 2014 outbreak that resulted in more than 28,000 cases and over 11,000 deaths.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and has claimed more than 15,000 lives across Africa over the last five decades.
Although the outbreak was officially declared on May 15 in northeastern DRC, health experts believe the virus had been circulating undetected for some time before authorities identified it.
Complicating response efforts is the fact that the outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
In response to the growing crisis, the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday unveiled a $518 million emergency response plan aimed at strengthening surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and community engagement efforts over the next six months.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that health authorities are struggling to keep pace with the outbreak’s rapid expansion.
“The outbreak is moving fast, and we are still playing catch-up,” Tedros said.
“We need to stop the outbreak where it is, support countries that are responding today, and ensure that neighbouring countries are ready to detect and act quickly if cases appear.”
Describing the situation as a serious public health threat, he added: “This is a serious outbreak, and it is one we know how to stop, but we need to move fast and together.”
Comments