Congo: Ebola deaths increase to over 1,000

What the report says

DW reported that deaths in the current Ebola outbreak in Congo have risen past 1,000, citing a World Health Organization overview of data released Wednesday and figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Health Ministry. The ministry data, covering cases traced from May 15 to July 19, showed 2,473 infections in Congo and neighboring Uganda involving the Bundibugyo strain, with 999 deaths documented in Congo and two in Uganda.

At a health summit in Ghana, Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said 1,031 deaths had been confirmed. According to DW, officials described the spread as the fastest recorded for Ebola, and said there are no vaccines or treatments for this strain. The report contrasted the pace with the 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic, which took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.

DW said health authorities are struggling to track transmission: about 82% of contacts linked to confirmed cases are being traced, below the 90%-95% level WHO officials say is needed for containment. Officials also said more than 80% of new infections are arising from unknown transmission chains. Cases have been recorded in five of Congo’s 26 provinces, with Ituri province, near Uganda and South Sudan, described as the outbreak’s epicenter.

The report said the response is being hampered by attacks on health workers, unsafe conditions and complaints that some staff have not been paid for months, causing some to leave affected areas. Ebola spreads through bodily fluids and can be fatal, making rapid contact tracing, safe care and public trust central to containing outbreaks.