WHO reports 220 suspected Ebola deaths in DRC

Geneva (ANTARA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday (25 May) that a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resulted in 220 suspected deaths. Health officials are struggling to keep pace with the outbreak’s fast spread, despite 101 confirmed cases and 10 confirmed fatalities. The outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May and has also spread to Uganda, which has recorded five confirmed cases and one death. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted key challenges, including delays in detection, which has led health teams to battle an outbreak spreading faster than their response efforts. “We are expediting operational upgrades, but currently, the outbreak is spreading faster than our efforts,” he said during a Virtual Ministerial Meeting on the Bundibug Ebola outbreak. The strain involved is Bundibug Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. This strain previously occurred only twice: in Uganda in 2007 and in DRC in 2012. WHO recommended prioritising two monoclonal antibodies for clinical trials. Complicating the crisis, affected provinces Ituri and North Kivu face heightened insecurity and community mistrust. Intensifying conflicts have forced over 100,000 people to flee, with two security incidents at health facilities last week. WHO has elevated its national risk assessment to “Very high”, regional to ” high”, and global to ” low”, urging neighbouring countries to act swiftly. Tedros is scheduled to travel to DRC with the WHO Emergency Director, as the organisation commits to containing the outbreak. ” The situation will deteriorate before it improves. However, we know this virus and how to contain it,” Tedros said.