Ebola in Congo: African authority wants to clarify possible Ebola mutation
The number of Ebola cases in the Congo is rising, as is the death toll. Health experts see a race against time - and want to determine whether a mutation is playing a role.
The African Center for Disease Control (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are investigating whether an Ebola virus mutation may be responsible for the rapid spread of cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Jean Kaseya, the Director General of Africa CDC, stated in his weekly briefing that "the severity of this Bundibugyo outbreak is unprecedented."
He emphasized the need to "understand if there was a mutation" and how to manage it, as this outbreak exceeds their capabilities. Kaseya reported that the current number of cases, over 3,900, is more than eight times higher than during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The death toll during this period is also more than six times higher.
While they are building capacity, Kaseya warned that "if we cannot stop this outbreak at the community level, it has no significance."
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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