Ebola Outbreak Death Toll Mounts Steadily Worldwide

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda is spreading fast, with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring it a “public health emergency of international concern.” The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which has no specific treatment or vaccine.

According to the WHO, at least 139 deaths are thought to be linked to the outbreak, with nearly 600 further cases suspected. However, only 51 cases have been officially confirmed in the DRC.

The WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he is “deeply concerned about the scale and speed” of the deadly outbreak. The organization’s representative in the DRC, Dr. Anne Ancia, noted that there is “significant uncertainty” about the number of infections and how far the virus has spread.

The WHO is working to understand the situation better. One American, Dr. Peter Stafford, has tested positive for Ebola and is being transferred to Germany for care.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that six high-risk contacts of Dr. Stafford will be taken to Europe for monitoring and care. It is a precautionary measure to prevent further spread.

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Ebola Strains and Treatment

The Bundibugyo strain is one of six known strains of the Ebolavirus genus. It was first identified in 2007 in the Bundibugyo district of Western Uganda and is believed to replicate more slowly than other strains.

Unlike other strains, there are no vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, which could make it difficult to get the outbreak under control. The WHO says that supportive care, including treating dehydration and maintaining oxygen levels, can be beneficial.

The US has created entry restrictions for non-citizens who have been in the affected region in the past 21 days and has elevated the DRC to Level 3 status, recommending against all nonessential travel to the area.

Outbreak History and Prevention

The outbreak is not the first in the region, with the DRC having officially had 17 outbreaks since 1976. The largest outbreak was in West Africa in 2014-16, with over 28,600 cases reported.

Scientists believe that humans first got sick with Ebola after being exposed to infected animals like fruit bats and monkeys. The case fatality rates for Ebola vary from 25% to 90%, according to the WHO.

The WHO received an alert regarding an unknown illness with high mortality in Mongbwalu, in the DRC’s Ituri province, on May 5. The organization sent an investigation team to the area on May 12, where they collected a sample to test.

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There was a “critical four-week detection gap” between when the first known patient became ill in April and when the disease was identified, allowing Ebola to spread unchecked.

Uganda’s Response

In Uganda, there are two confirmed cases of Ebola, according to the country’s health ministry. The first case was a patient from the DRC who was treated at a Ugandan health facility but later died.

The Ugandan health authorities have activated outbreak control measures, including disease surveillance, screening, and response readiness. They have assessed the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels and low at the global level.

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The WHO is working with the Ugandan health authorities to prevent further spread. They are also working to improve their response time and understand how the disease spreads.