WHO says DR Congo Ebola outbreak far from under control
Transmission continues to outpace response efforts, raising the risk of further spread domestically and internationally.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concerns over the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), stating that the situation remains far from under control. As of August 16, the DRC has reported 5,021 confirmed cases and 2,378 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 47.4%. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, is the largest of its kind ever recorded and the second-largest globally, according to the WHO.
Despite being declared a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, the outbreak has continued to spread rapidly, posing a high risk of further transmission within the country and internationally. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the response efforts have not kept pace with the outbreak, emphasizing the urgent need to reverse its trajectory.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) echoed these concerns, warning that the outbreak could become the deadliest ever recorded globally unless its course is urgently altered. With around one life lost every 30 minutes, the Africa CDC has called for immediate action to prevent the escalation of the epidemic.
No approved vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which has fueled the WHO's apprehension about the outbreak's containment.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- How Ebola became the deadliest outbreak in DR Congo’s history aljazeera.com
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