WHO: Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo Remains Uncontrolled

Kinshasa (ANTARA) - The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains uncontrolled despite a slight decrease in the national number of infections, as transmission shifts geographically and spreads towards international borders, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The country has recorded 7,73<0xA0>33 confirmed cases, including 3,732 deaths as of Sunday (20/9), according to the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

“The outbreak is still uncontrolled and is spreading geographically,” the WHO stated, warning that the expansion of the outbreak is further straining already very limited response resources.

Recent expansion of transmission has been reported in the Dungu health zone in Haut-Uele Province, which borders South Sudan. The WHO stated that this development increases the potential for cross-border spread. The outbreak has now affected 63 health zones across seven provinces.

Pressure on care facilities remains severe in North Kivu Province, where standardised Ebola care structures are 91.2 per cent full, while 34.2 per cent of patients treated in hospitals are receiving care outside of standardised facilities.

Deaths within the community also remain a major concern. Almost two-thirds of the confirmed deaths recorded last week occurred outside of care facilities, indicating ongoing delays in detection, referral, and access to treatment, according to the WHO.

The agency continues to assess the risk of further spread within the DRC as “very high” and the risk to neighbouring countries sharing land borders with it as “high.”

The outbreak, which was announced in May, has become the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC, and the second largest Ebola outbreak globally, following the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic.