The World Health Organization has officially classified the Bundibugyo virus outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern…
The virus has spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo into Uganda, with confirmed cases now reaching Kampala and beyond…
As of late May, there are over 900 suspected cases and more than 230 deaths reported across the region, highlighting a significant escalation since the start of the month…
Health experts warn that the true number of cases is likely higher due to conflict, displacement, and infection in frontline health facilities…
The strain is notoriously difficult to combat, and the lack of an approved vaccine or specific medical treatment leaves the region exposed…
Global humanitarian groups are pleading for an immediate injection of emergency funds, noting that past aid cuts have crippled the current response efforts…
Inside Congo’s Ebola Emergency As Cases Climb And Borders Shut
As suspected cases and deaths climb, and with no approved vaccine yet for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, the Ebola outbreak in northeastern Congo has ignited another race against time.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak an international emergency.
As of May 25, the superspreading pathogen, first detected in Ituri Province in late April, has claimed over 200 lives out of around 900 cases, including seven in neighboring Uganda.
Further complicating the response effort is the presence of the M23 rebel group, reportedly occupying large areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) eastern front, primarily the confirmed hotspot provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.
Jacqueline Weyer, Head of the Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, explains to FORBES AFRICA: “Containment efforts may be complicated by ongoing insecurity, population displacement, and the presence of armed groups, all of which can limit access to affected communities and disrupt surveillance and contact tracing activities.”
The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo is becoming a nightmare. Three times in the past week, angry mobs have stormed medical facilities, forcing staff to flee for their lives. On Sunday, gunmen actually attacked a hospital treating Ebola patients, and with the virus spreading rapidly through the city of Bunia, this chaos is making it almost impossible for aid workers to keep the outbreak contained. It is heartbreaking to see fear turn into this kind of violent desperation.
CNN report on the hospital attack (May 25)