WHO Records all First-Month Ebola Cases in DRC

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorded the highest number of confirmed cases within the first month of any Ebola outbreak on record.

According to WHO officials, the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain has infected more than 1,000 people and resulted in at least 267 deaths since it was declared on May 15. Health authorities believe the virus may have been spreading for several months before it was formally identified.

Speaking in Geneva, WHO official Abdirahman Mahamud said the outbreak expanded rapidly after early cases emerged in urban areas, including Bunia and the mining town of Mongbwalu. He said transmission in densely populated communities has accelerated the spread compared with previous outbreaks that were largely concentrated in rural locations.

Mahamud said response teams are struggling to keep pace with the outbreak’s growth. However, he noted that treatment capacity has improved, with more than 500 Ebola treatment beds now available in affected regions.

The outbreak has also reached at least three displacement camps in eastern Congo. The International Organisation for Migration reported 25 confirmed infections and 14 deaths in the camps, where overcrowding and limited healthcare services present additional challenges.

Health workers say movement between camps and nearby communities continues to increase the risk of transmission. Aid agencies are expanding treatment facilities and public awareness efforts to contain the outbreak. The source of the initial infections has not yet been established.

SOURCE: Reuters