Ebola Outbreak Becomes Deadliest in DR Congo’s History

Kinshasa: According to local authorities, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has claimed 2,325 lives, surpassing the 2,299 deaths recorded during the 2018-2020 outbreak, thus becoming the deadliest in the country's history. The outbreak, declared on May 15, has also become the largest in terms of confirmed cases, reaching 4,945 by late July. According to United Nations, A total of 730 patients remain in isolation or hospitalized, while 1,040 individuals have recovered. The fatality rate has risen to 46 percent, as per government data. Vaccine trials are underway in the UK and Canada, although there is currently no approved treatment for the Bundibugyo strain. Efforts to control the outbreak face significant challenges due to inadequate health infrastructure, ongoing conflict, and distrust of medical authorities, with the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that the outbreak is outpacing the response. The United Nations and its global health partners are working to prevent t he spread of Ebola to neighboring countries, including South Sudan and the Central African Republic. In early June, WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention launched a response plan to enhance emergency coordination and other critical measures. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has allocated $54.5 million to support the response in the DRC and prepare neighboring countries for a potential spread of the disease. In the Central African Republic, the UN's peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, is collaborating with multiple UN agencies to assist local authorities with technical support and community awareness activities. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarevic announced a major scale-up in response efforts, with a recent meeting in Bangui between representatives from several African countries to strengthen cooperation in disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness. WHO aims to bring the outbreak under control within three months and emphasizes the need for s afe access to communities and resources to end the crisis and save lives.