DRC Ebola outbreak kills at least 930 as cases rise past 2,300
The health ministry reported at least 2,344 confirmed cases, while the WHO said transmission chains are still being missed.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
The latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 930 people, the country’s health ministry said, as the World Health Organization warned that transmission is accelerating. The figures point to one of the fastest-moving Ebola emergencies recorded in the DRC, with health services under strain in the eastern centre of the outbreak.
The health ministry said Monday that confirmed infections had reached at least 2,344 as of Saturday. It also reported 37 deaths in a 24-hour period from Friday, among the largest daily increases since authorities declared the outbreak on May 15.
The outbreak is the DRC’s 17th involving Ebola, according to the ministry. It was first identified after several deaths in Ituri, a mineral-rich northeastern province where several armed groups operate.
WHO warns of missed transmission
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week that the outbreak had grown faster over the past month than any previous Ebola outbreak. He said the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak took more than 10 months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases, while the current one reached that level in about two months.
Tedros described the emergency as the third-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. The WHO has also said the true number of cases could be at least twice the official count, reflecting gaps in detection and contact tracing.
According to Tedros, more than 80 percent of new infections are being found among people who were not on known contact lists. He said that shows health teams are still missing chains of transmission.
Ebola spreads through close contact and infected bodily fluids, according to the WHO. Cases have been found in five DRC provinces and in neighbouring Uganda, though Tedros said Uganda is close to being “virus-free.”
Hospitals under pressure in Ituri
The DRC health ministry said 724 patients are in hospital isolation and that authorities are stepping up the response in affected areas. In its latest update, the ministry said care and support capacity was being strengthened and reported 22 new recoveries in 24 hours.
The response has faced added pressure in Ituri, where the death toll is rising fastest. Al Jazeera reported that healthcare workers began a strike last week and blocked the entrance to Bunia General Hospital.
Staff said they had not received compensation for their work since the outbreak began, despite treating Ebola patients in difficult and dangerous conditions, according to Al Jazeera. Bunia, in Ituri province, has been described by Al Jazeera as the outbreak’s epicentre.
The growing toll leaves DRC health authorities trying to isolate patients, find missed contacts and sustain care in areas already affected by insecurity. The ministry’s latest figures show the outbreak continuing to widen more than two months after it was declared.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.