Ebola im Kongo: Ebola in weiterer Provinz im Kongo festgestellt

The Democratic Republic of Congo has reported Ebola cases in six provinces, with a new outbreak confirmed in Buta city, Bas Uele province. This follows previous infections from the neighboring Haut Uele province, according to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director, Jean Kaseya. As of May, 4,566 cases have been confirmed, resulting in 2,128 deaths from the highly contagious disease.

Kaseya emphasized that these figures only cover the time since the official Ebola outbreak was announced, and studies suggest the outbreak may have begun around February. The exact circumstances between February and May are unknown. Data on case numbers only includes the period from May to the present. Kaseya warned that without stopping the outbreak, it could last longer than a year and become the largest Ebola outbreak worldwide.

The first phase of the outbreak also saw cases in Uganda, linked to travelers from Congo. Currently, over 63 percent of Ebola fatalities occur outside hospitals and isolation centers, where patients typically receive treatment and die. Instead, more than 63 percent of deaths are happening among the general population in villages and towns, often without proper care and burial.

The Ebola virus spreads through direct contact and exposure to bodily fluids, causing a severe, life-threatening fever with symptoms like diarrhea and bleeding. This outbreak is particularly challenging to contain because there is no specific vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. Since early July, clinical trials for two antiviral therapies have been underway. Additionally, efforts are being made to determine if the virus has mutated.