WHO Warns ‘Time is Not on Our Side' as New Outbreak of Deadly Ebola Virus Declared in Congo

© AFP 2023 / Carl de Souza A file picture taken on August 14, 2014 shows Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) medical staff wearing protective clothing treating the body of an Ebola victim at their facility in Kailahun.
A file picture taken on August 14, 2014 shows Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) medical staff wearing protective clothing treating the body of an Ebola victim at their facility in Kailahun. - Sputnik International, 1920, 25.04.2022
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Ebola, first discovered near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976, is a deadly illness with case fatality rates in past outbreaks varying from 25 percent to 90 percent.
The virus, also known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF), was originally detected near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Based on similar viruses, scientists believe EVD is animal-borne, with its source likely being bats or nonhuman primates, which then transmit it to other animals.
Just one case has been confirmed so far, in a 31-year-old man in Mbandaka, a city in the north-western Equateur province, who began experiencing symptoms on 5 April. After spending more than a week in care at home, he was eventually admitted for intensive care at a local Ebola treatment centre on 21 April. The patient died later that day. Once health workers recognised the symptoms, they rushed to submit samples to test for Ebola virus disease, while an investigation has been launched to determine the source of the outbreak. In a race against time, more than 70 of the man’s contacts are now being traced.
Furthermore, the deceased patient was given a safe burial to minimise the risk of contagious fluids infecting attendees. The health facility where the patient received care has been decontaminated.

“Time is not on our side. The disease has had a two-week head start and we are now playing catch-up. The positive news is that health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have more experience than anyone else in the world at controlling Ebola outbreaks quickly”, said the World Health Organisation's regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.

Vaccination is to begin in the coming days, as doses of jabs will be sent to Mbandaka from the country’s stockpiles of the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine in the cities of Goma and Kinshasa.
Vaccines will be administered via a “ring vaccination” strategy, in accordance with which contacts and contacts of contacts are inoculated.

“Many people in Mbandaka are already vaccinated against Ebola, which should help reduce the impact of the disease. All those who were vaccinated during the 2020 outbreak will be revaccinated”, said Dr Moeti.

The announcement comes just four months after the last Ebola outbreak ended and is, overall, the 14th experienced by the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1976, when it was first discovered.
© AP Photo / Jerome DelayFILE - In this July 13, 2019 file photo, health workers wearing protective suits tend to an Ebola victim kept in an isolation cube in Beni, Congo
FILE - In this  July 13, 2019 file photo, health workers wearing protective suits tend to an Ebola victim kept in an isolation cube in Beni, Congo - Sputnik International, 1920, 25.04.2022
FILE - In this July 13, 2019 file photo, health workers wearing protective suits tend to an Ebola victim kept in an isolation cube in Beni, Congo
The virus, also known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF), was originally detected near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Based on similar viruses, scientists believe EVD is animal-borne, with its source likely being bats or non-human primates, which then transmit it to other animals.
The virus is transmitted by coming into contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials, and presents early symptoms such as muscle aches and a fever.
In this Sunday, July 14, 2019 photo, burial workers dressed in protective gear carry the remains of Mussa Kathembo, an Islamic scholar who had prayed over those who were sick, in Beni, Congo - Sputnik International, 1920, 14.10.2021
Charity Warns of 'Disastrous' Ebola Outbreak in East of DR Congo, If Not Contained
The largest Ebola outbreak to date was an epidemic that ravaged West Africa from December 2013 to January 2016, with 28,646 cases and 11,323 deaths.
Currently available treatments have hugely improved the chances of patients surviving Ebola, whereas in the past fatality rates have varied from 25 percent to 90 percent.
On some occasions, Ebola survivors are known to experience lingering side effects even after recovery, such as muscle aches, eye and vision problems, and stomach pain.
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