DR Congo Ebola Response Hit by Violence as Cases Surpass 8,000

Violence and displacement in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are disrupting efforts to contain the country’s largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak, with more than 8,000 confirmed cases now recorded.

Aid teams are increasingly concerned about the security situation around Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, Ituri province, where thousands of people have reportedly fled following a series of security incidents since September 20.

According to humanitarian reports, soldiers entered the camp in search of weapons and people suspected of belonging to non-State armed groups, while gunshots were also heard. The camp hosts nearly 19,000 displaced people, according to the United Nations humanitarian coordination office.

The violence has made it harder for humanitarian workers to assess needs, deliver essential assistance and maintain protection services. The departure of thousands of displaced families is also creating additional challenges for the Ebola response, particularly disease surveillance and contact tracing.

The latest health data show 8,067 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,901 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of September 26, giving the outbreak a case fatality rate of 48.4 percent. The outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus and has spread across seven provinces.

Ituri remains the centre of the outbreak, although transmission patterns are increasingly different across affected areas. While cases have declined from their peak in Ituri, North Kivu has experienced a substantial rise in infections, with transmission reaching its highest recorded level in mid-September before easing in the latest reporting period.

The World Health Organization has warned that conflict, insecurity, displacement and limited access to basic services are hampering surveillance, case detection, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and access to timely healthcare.

Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Damien Mama has called for civilians to be protected and for the civilian character of displacement sites to be preserved. He also urged all parties to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access.

More than 1.1 million people are displaced by conflict and violence across Ituri province, including more than 373,000 people living in displacement sites.

The scale of the outbreak has made it the largest recorded Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak and the largest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Globally, it is now second only to the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic, which recorded more than 28,600 infections and more than 11,000 deaths.

WHO says there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease, increasing the importance of early detection, isolation, contact tracing and access to care in containing transmission.

Source: FSX Business News