The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has surpassed 4,000 confirmed cases, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Health officials fear the virus may be mutating, as the severity of the current outbreak is unprecedented.
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, told a press briefing on Thursday that he had discussed with WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus plans to conduct studies “to check if there is no additional issue, or maybe if the virus is not mutating.” The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was first reported on May 15, though it may have been spreading since January.
The outbreak is now the second-largest on record, with eight times more cases and six times more deaths than at 11 weeks into the West Africa outbreak of 2014-18. The epicenter is the conflict-affected mining province of Ituri, but cases have spread to Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo. Neighboring Uganda recorded 20 cases before bringing its outbreak under control.
More than two-thirds of Ebola deaths are occurring in the community rather than in treatment centers, indicating high levels of untracked transmission. In an MSF-run center in Bunia, 90% of admitted patients are not on authorities' contact lists. Kaseya acknowledged that contact tracing is insufficient, with only 10 contacts identified per patient, compared to an expected 40.
Response teams are shifting from contact tracing to active case search, including door-to-door visits by community health workers. Dr Wessam Mankoula, acting head of emergency preparedness at Africa CDC, said, “The time for incremental action is over and we’re starting now the phase for scaling up.”
Officials also plan to use the antiviral remdesivir on a compassionate use basis and test the Ervebo vaccine, licensed for another Ebola strain, after data suggested it reduces severity and mortality from Bundibugyo. DRC authorities are investigating a suspected Ebola death on a boat heading to Kinshasa, with passengers quarantined.
UNICEF warned that essential healthcare is being disrupted, with fear of infection keeping families away from clinics. In the mining town of Mongbwalu, measles vaccination coverage among children has dropped by 69%.
Source: www.theguardian.com