Home · Health · Nov 13 archive
Ebola Outbreak in DRC Surpasses 11,000 Cases, Conflict Hinders Response
· Confirmed
In Short: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has identified 19 strategic river locations in Tshopo Province where additional surveillance points may be needed, but the IOM is short of nearly $60 million to cover a comprehensive Ebola response.
DR Congo Ebola outbreak surpasses 11,000 cases as conflict hampers response. africanews
Since the outbreak was announced on May 15, the death rate has reached 48% in the DRC, making it the second largest Ebola outbreak after the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has identified 19 strategic river locations in Tshopo Province where additional surveillance points may be needed, but the IOM is short of nearly $60 million to cover a comprehensive Ebola response.
Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, WHO’s Assistant Director General, noted that around 60% of Ebola deaths were reported in communities, including private and traditional health facilities.
In Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) found that only 9% of Ebola patients treated were identified as contacts by the surveillance system.
The IOM reported that it had detected 71 people with Ebola by screening people on informal transit routes in the DRC that were not monitored by authorities.
The WHO warned that the situation remains concerning, with intensifying violence hindering containment efforts. Since the outbreak began, the WHO has logged 81 attacks on healthcare facilities and workers.
Community deaths remain a particularly serious indicator, as people who die outside treatment centers may have spent time among relatives and other contacts without being identified as suspected Ebola patients.
The outbreak has affected eight of the DRC's 26 provinces, with Ituri and North Kivu accounting for the overwhelming majority of reported infections.
The UN agency and partners are assisting the DRC authorities in curbing transmission of Ebola disease caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus for which there is currently no vaccine or treatment.
Médecins Sans Frontières said that many cases are likely being missed, transmission in hospitals in some areas is rife, and the virus is still spreading out of control.
The INSP recorded 52 new confirmed infections and 33 deaths on November 13, with Ituri province remaining the epicenter, accounting for 69.6% of confirmed cases.
What this adds
The conflict in the region is a significant obstacle to the Ebola response, with rebels attacking towns and causing patients and contacts to flee.
A senior politician from the ruling party was beaten to death in Butembo on Sunday after promoting Ebola prevention during a radio interview.
Background
The conflict in the region is a significant obstacle to the Ebola response, with rebels attacking towns and causing patients and contacts to flee.
What's confirmed
- “People are scared, people are furious at the lack of action on this... following up contact tracing in areas where ADF [is] operating is a very hazardous idea,” Julien Harneis, MS, MBA, UN senior Ebola response coordinator, said in the update.
What's still developing
- BRONX - The New York City Health Department has ordered 10 cooling towers in the South Bronx, including one at Yankee Stadium, to be cleaned and disinfected following an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the area, city health officials announced Sunday.
- “Because I’m a conflicted party, I can’t actually be in the discussions of the special committees, so it’s this sort of a … It’s an odd kabuki dance where two groups of people are talking, and I can’t be in the conversation,” Musk said in response to a question during SpaceX’s third-quarter earnings call.
- Pennsylvania will accept help from a “disease detective” sent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to curb the worst measles outbreak in the country, the state’s top health official said Friday, while repeating a demand for federal acknowledgment of measles-associated deaths here.
- State officials said that about 300 health department staffers, including 60 “disease detectives,” have been responding to the measles outbreak in the state.
- Macklemore also challenged Robert Kraft to match his donation, prompting a response from the New England Patriots owner, who said Ed Sheeran had separately asked him to commit $2 million towards humanitarian relief.
- ALSO READ: Finneas, Lukas Graham And More Quit Ed Sheeran Tour After Macklemore's Removal Over ‘Free Palestine’ Remarks; Singer Reacts Macklemore announced the donation on Instagram, saying he wanted attention to return to Palestinians affected by the ongoing conflict.
- Undetected infections and delayed detection allowed the virus to gain a foothold prior to official containment responses.
- Dozens of Ebola outbreaks have been documented since scientists first discovered the virus in 1976.
- “I was on gate 403” at the domestic terminal, the witness told AFP.
- In response to the initial reports, local authorities placed roughly 200 people under quarantine, though officials have recently moved to lift those isolation measures.
- These assessments predate the outbreak’s subsequent expansion, and WHO said on Oct. 23 that it was revising its global risk assessment as new information became available.
- Although some daily indicators have improved, the scale of transmission and persistent gaps in the public health response suggest that containing the epidemic will remain difficult into 2027.
Sources
- Colombiaonelink
- Euronews.comlink
- Health Policy Watchlink
- NetNewsLedgerlink
- UN Newslink
- Uniceflink
- Fox5Nylink
- TechCrunchlink
- Timesofisraellink
- Peoplelink
- Investorslink
- Healthpolicy-Watchlink
- Filmthreatlink
- Kdhnewslink
- Newslink
- Englishlink
- africanews — video link
- africanews — video link
- DW Africa — video link
- Global60s — video link
- The Financial Express — video link