Damien Mama, Acting Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, arrived on Sunday in Bunia, the provincial capital, where he will assess response efforts and strengthen coordination in support of the Government-led campaign to end the latest deadly epidemic.
Increasing number of cases
The rapid outbreak, which has also spread to neighboring Uganda, is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. which has no approved treatments or vaccines, although three candidate vaccines are being developed.
On Saturday, Congolese health authorities reported 27 new confirmed caseswhich brings the total to 515 in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, with 91 deaths.
Approximately 95 percent of all cases are in Ituri and 12 people have recovered to date.
Meanwhile, Uganda has reported 19 confirmed casesincluding two deaths, as well as one probable case who died.
Important challenges
In New York, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is focused on case management, operating treatment centers and delivering essential medicines and supplies, as well as community engagement, risk communication and enhanced surveillance.
He noted, however, that “Response efforts continue to face significant challenges, including gaps in contact tracing, limited treatment capacity, and shortages of essential medicines.“, while “expanding laboratory capacity is also essential to ensure the timely detection and confirmation of cases.”
The health crisis unfolds amid the already dire humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where nearly 15 million people across the country are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Additionally, more than half of all displaced people, 3.4 million, live in areas affected by the outbreak, complicating the response.
Continental response plan
The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 by Congolese authorities and subsequently classified by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) as a public health emergency of international concern, but not a pandemic threat.
Symptoms include sudden onset of high fever, headache, weakness, vomiting and diarrhea.
This is the 17th time that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has fought Ebola and the crisis has triggered a coordinated continental response.
Last week, WHO, together with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and partners launched a plan to raise $518 million to help African countries prepare, rapidly detect and respond to the outbreak.
Assistance to Zambia
WHO has also delivered critical Ebola preparedness equipment and supplies to Zambian authorities, including personal protective equipment (PPE), laboratory reagents, infection prevention and control materials, and specimen transport supplies.
“While Zambia has not recorded any cases of Ebola, its proximity to affected countries and high level of cross-border movement place it at potential risk,” the agency said.
WHO continues to highlight the importance of preparedness as the first line of defense against Ebola, while highlighting the critical role of community engagement and timely symptom reporting in saving lives.