The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak that has already claimed about 80 lives, with health authorities warning of a “very high lethality rate” and stating that there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for the strain involved.
Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which he noted has no available vaccine. “The Bundibugyo strain has no vaccine, no specific treatment,” he said, adding that “this strain has a very high lethality rate which can reach 50 per cent.”
Officials reported that d+aths have risen from 65 to 80, with a total of 246 suspected cases recorded. A nurse who first showed symptoms at a health facility in Bunia is believed to be the initial case in the current outbreak.
The strain has also crossed borders, with one d+ath reported in Uganda involving a DRC national. Ugandan authorities confirmed that a 59-year-old man from the DRC d+ed in Kampala after testing positive for the Bundibugyo strain, which was first identified in 2007.
Unlike the Zaire strain, for which vaccines exist, the Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccine, despite Zaire Ebola having a higher fatality rate of 60–90 per cent.
Health officials from Africa CDC confirmed the outbreak in Ituri province, northeastern DRC, bordering Uganda and South Sudan, warning of a high risk of further spread due to cross-border movement in the region.
“This is a large outbreak,” said Jay Bhattacharya of the US CDC, as international health agencies move to contain the situation. The WHO also raised concern, stating, “Given the uncertainties and severity of the illness, there is concern about the scale of transmission in affected communities,” while preparing emergency supplies for response efforts.
Ebola, a severe viral disease transmitted through bodily fluids, can cause haemorrhaging, vomiting, and organ failure, with mortality rates ranging between 25 and 90 per cent depending on the outbreak.
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