Ebola Spreading Faster Than Ever in DRC as Uganda Nears Virus-Free Status
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that Ebola is spreading more quickly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo than in any previous outbreak, while Uganda has discharged its last patient and begun a 42-day countdown to being declared Ebola-free.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Thursday that the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC has reached 2,000 confirmed cases in just two months, compared to over 10 months in the 2018-2020 outbreak. There have been 796 deaths, making it the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record. The DRC reported 62 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total confirmed infections to 2,073, though the WHO has said the true tally could be at least double that.
The outbreak was declared on May 15 in Ituri province, a mineral-rich northeastern region patrolled by several armed groups. Cases have been found in five DRC provinces and neighboring Uganda, though the vast majority are in Ituri. Tedros highlighted that over 80 percent of new cases are being detected outside known contact lists, indicating that transmission chains are still being missed. 377 people have recovered from Ebola in the DRC, showing that with early diagnosis and safe care, the disease can be survived and stopped.
Complicating matters, healthcare workers in Ituri began a strike on Wednesday, blocking the entrance to Bunia General Hospital. Staff said they have not received any compensation for their work since the outbreak began, despite working under extremely difficult conditions.
In Uganda, the health ministry discharged the last remaining Ebola patient on Thursday, starting a 42-day countdown after which the country could be declared Ebola-free. Uganda has had 20 cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain since mid-May, fifteen of which were people infected in the DRC who then traveled to Uganda. Unlike the surging infections in the DRC, Uganda has not reported a new case since June 22.
