Health teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo are continuing to battle new Ebola infections, more than four months into an outbreak that has spread across several parts of the country.
While authorities and the United Nations have reported progress in some affected areas, the situation remains concerning in North Kivu Province, where new cases continue to be recorded.
At the Kitatumba Ebola Treatment Center in Butembo, 239 patients have been admitted since the facility opened on June 30, including 113 confirmed Ebola cases. 36 patients have recovered, while 104 people with unconfirmed cases have been discharged.
READ: DRC expands Ebola vaccination to Ituri, over 3 700 people vaccinated
Kakule Kihasaki Samson, medical director of the center, said it was too early to conclude that the outbreak was under control.
“It is premature to say the situation is under control. Here, we continue to record new positive cases every day,” he said, adding that Butembo sometimes records as many as 10 cases a day.
He said poverty, trauma and resistance to health measures were making the response more difficult, with some residents refusing care or failing to follow safety measures.
Treatment facilities are also struggling with capacity.
A center supported by Doctors Without Borders has 29 beds but is operating above full capacity, according to its head of medical activities in Butembo, Toussin Selemani.
“We are consistently operating above 100% occupancy,” Selemani said, adding that the organisation was advocating for increased capacity to admit patients.
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Despite the challenges, some patients have recovered and returned home.
Kavira Justine, an Ebola survivor, was discharged from the Kitatumba center on Monday after spending two weeks receiving treatment.
“I arrived in a very bad state, but after two weeks here, with God’s help, I feel better,” she said.
Marie Masika, who accompanied her two children after they recovered from Ebola, urged people to seek treatment as soon as symptoms appear.
“I’ve noticed those who die often arrive in the final stage of the illness,” she said. “But if you come in time, people do recover.”
Health teams are continuing surveillance, treatment and prevention efforts in Butembo as they work to contain transmission in North Kivu.
- The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has persisted for over four months, with new cases still being reported in North Kivu Province.
- Since June 30, the Kitatumba Ebola Treatment Center in Butembo has admitted 239 patients, including 113 confirmed Ebola cases, with 36 recoveries.
- Health officials report challenges including poverty, trauma, resistance to health measures, and treatment centers operating at or above full capacity.
- Doctors Without Borders' treatment center in Butembo has 29 beds but is consistently operating above 100% occupancy, leading to calls for increased capacity.
- Survivors like Kavira Justine and Marie Masika emphasize the importance of early treatment, noting better outcomes for those who seek care promptly.
Health teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo are continuing to battle new Ebola infections, more than four months into an outbreak that has spread across several parts of the country.
While authorities and the United Nations have reported progress in some affected areas, the situation remains concerning in North Kivu Province, where new cases continue to be recorded.
At the Kitatumba Ebola Treatment Center in Butembo, 239 patients have been admitted since the facility opened on June 30, including 113 confirmed Ebola cases. 36 patients have recovered, while 104 people with unconfirmed cases have been discharged.
READ: DRC expands Ebola vaccination to Ituri, over 3 700 people vaccinated
Kakule Kihasaki Samson, medical director of the center, said it was too early to conclude that the outbreak was under control.
"It is premature to say the situation is under control. Here, we continue to record new positive cases every day," he said, adding that Butembo sometimes records as many as 10 cases a day.
He said poverty, trauma and resistance to health measures were making the response more difficult, with some residents refusing care or failing to follow safety measures.
Treatment facilities are also struggling with capacity.
A center supported by Doctors Without Borders has 29 beds but is operating above full capacity, according to its head of medical activities in Butembo, Toussin Selemani.
"We are consistently operating above 100% occupancy," Selemani said, adding that the organisation was advocating for increased capacity to admit patients.
READ: DRC launches 180-day plan, seeks $1.3 billion funding
Despite the challenges, some patients have recovered and returned home.
Kavira Justine, an Ebola survivor, was discharged from the Kitatumba center on Monday after spending two weeks receiving treatment.
"I arrived in a very bad state, but after two weeks here, with God's help, I feel better," she said.
Marie Masika, who accompanied her two children after they recovered from Ebola, urged people to seek treatment as soon as symptoms appear.
"I've noticed those who die often arrive in the final stage of the illness," she said. "But if you come in time, people do recover."
Health teams are continuing surveillance, treatment and prevention efforts in Butembo as they work to contain transmission in North Kivu.
