The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the second-largest on record, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Wednesday, as confirmed cases rose to 4,449 with 2,061 deaths.
“It’s already the second-biggest Ebola epidemic on record, and it’s moving faster than any previous Ebola outbreak. At its current rate, it’s on track to eclipse the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 to 2016,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing in Geneva.
The latest figures released Wednesday by the DRC’s public health authorities showed that the overall case fatality rate stood at 46.3%. A total of 716 patients remain in isolation or hospital care, while 886 people have recovered.
Outbreak had significant head start before detection
Tedros said the outbreak had gained a significant head start before it was detected and that response efforts were still struggling to catch up. “The outbreak had a big head start. It’s still way ahead of us and we’re playing catch-up,” he said.
About 90% of all confirmed cases and 80% of deaths have been reported in Ituri province, where sustained transmission continues, according to the WHO.
Also Read: Ebola takes severe toll on women and children in eastern DRC: UN
Tedros said a high proportion of deaths continue to occur in communities rather than treatment centers, while many cases are being detected outside known contact lists, indicating that transmission chains remain unidentified.
“Until we know about and break every chain of transmission, we will not stop the outbreak,” he said.
The outbreak, caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was declared by the DRC government on May 15.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said investigations suggest the virus may have been circulating for two to three months before the outbreak was formally detected, although the exact start of transmission remains under investigation.
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- The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 4,449 confirmed cases with 2,061 deaths, making it the second-largest on record.
- The overall case fatality rate of the outbreak stands at 46.3%, with 716 patients still in isolation or hospital care and 886 recovered.
- Approximately 90% of confirmed cases and 80% of deaths have occurred in Ituri province, where transmission continues.
- The outbreak had been circulating for two to three months before detection, giving it a significant head start over response efforts.
- A high proportion of deaths occur in communities rather than treatment centers, indicating many transmission chains remain unidentified.
"It's already the second-biggest Ebola epidemic on record, and it's moving faster than any previous Ebola outbreak. At its current rate, it's on track to eclipse the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 to 2016," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing in Geneva.
Tedros said the outbreak had gained a significant head start before it was detected and that response efforts were still struggling to catch up. "
About 90% of all confirmed cases and 80% of deaths have been reported in Ituri province, where sustained transmission continues, according to the WHO.
Also Read: Ebola takes severe toll on women and children in eastern DRC: UN
Tedros said a high proportion of deaths continue to occur in communities rather than treatment centers, while many cases are being detected outside known contact lists, indicating that transmission chains remain unidentified.
"Until we know about and break every chain of transmission, we will not stop the outbreak," he said.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of the WHO
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