The Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, has reported 6,757 confirmed Ebola disease cases caused by the Bundibugyo virus, including 3,267 deaths, as of September 7, the World Health Organization, WHO, said on Thursday.
The WHO said the figures represent a crude Case Fatality Ratio, CFR, of 48.3 per cent, highlighting the severity of the outbreak and the continuing challenges facing efforts to detect, treat and contain the disease.
The agency said the outbreak had expanded to the Kayna Health Zone in North Kivu, bringing the total number of affected health zones to 61 across six of the country’s 26 provinces.
The affected provinces are Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tshopo, according to the latest outbreak situation update released by the WHO.
The geographical spread has increased the pressure on health authorities and response teams working to monitor transmission, identify new cases and limit the further spread of the virus in affected communities.
According to the WHO, transmission patterns remain variable across the affected areas, with evidence of continued geographical expansion and sustained increases in cases in some health zones.
The agency said the situation remained a concern despite ongoing response activities, particularly as new areas continue to report cases.
Health authorities are therefore facing the challenge of maintaining effective surveillance across a wide geographical area while ensuring that suspected cases are identified and managed as quickly as possible.
The WHO said the persistently high CFR also underscored major challenges in the response, including delayed case detection and limited access to early treatment.
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Difficulties in interrupting transmission have also continued, particularly in communities where people may come into contact with infected individuals before the disease is identified.
Healthcare facilities remain another area of concern, as transmission can occur when appropriate infection prevention and control measures are not implemented effectively.
The WHO warned that delayed detection increases the risk of further transmission within households, communities and healthcare settings.
The agency stressed the need for strengthened surveillance to ensure that suspected cases are identified quickly and investigated promptly.
It also called for rapid response measures and early treatment to be maintained and expanded across affected areas.
The continued spread of the outbreak means that health authorities must also remain alert to the possibility of cases emerging in new health zones, particularly as transmission patterns continue to change.
The WHO said sustained efforts would be necessary to interrupt transmission, improve early detection and reduce the number of deaths associated with the outbreak.
With six provinces currently affected, the response requires continued coordination among national health authorities, local health workers and international partners to monitor the situation and provide timely assistance to affected communities.
The WHO’s latest update underscores the scale of the challenge facing the DRC as health authorities work to contain the Ebola outbreak and prevent further loss of life.
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