Five graphs show Ebola outbreak on track to be worst in history
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says many of the deaths occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo are happening outside of known transmission chains, meaning the outbreak is a long way from being brought under control.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is feared to become the deadliest outbreak on record, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. As of Friday, the current outbreak has resulted in 2,214 deaths from 4,727 confirmed infections, with 85 percent of cases concentrated in the Ituri province of the northeast.
The Ebola virus, which causes flu-like symptoms followed by vomiting, diarrhea and organ failure, has overwhelmed the already fragile health system in the DRC's northeast, a region already affected by armed conflict and food insecurity. However, there are concerns the virus could spread beyond the region.
The WHO has expressed worry over the rapid pace of the current outbreak, noting that it reached 250 deaths within 37 days, compared to the 78 days it took for the previous West African outbreak to reach the same milestone. It also surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases within 38 days, while the 2018 DRC outbreak took more than 230 days to achieve the same figure.
Researchers believe the current outbreak began two or three months before it was officially declared on May 15, with some early cases potentially misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid. The majority of deaths have occurred in the community rather than within treatment centers, indicating potential hidden community transmission. This, combined with the lack of rapid testing kits for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola and a shortage of reagent chemicals, is making it difficult to isolate suspected cases.
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