More than 300 people have died of Ebola in eastern Congo in the past week, marking one of the highest weekly death tolls recorded during the current outbreak, according to government data released Monday. Health workers are struggling to contain an epidemic that is spreading with unprecedented speed.
As of Saturday, the outbreak had registered 5,514 cases and 2,642 deaths. The 317 deaths reported in the previous seven days highlight the severity of the situation. Experts in Congo suggest that the true scale of the outbreak, which began weeks before it was officially confirmed, could be three times the reported numbers.
This epidemic is characterized as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. A significant number of deaths are occurring outside of designated treatment centers. The current outbreak has resulted in seven times more deaths at this stage compared to the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, which was historically the deadliest with over 11,000 fatalities.
In Ituri province, the current epicenter, the majority of new cases are still being reported from individuals not being monitored through contact tracing.
The overall fatality rate for the outbreak stands at 47.9%. However, government data indicates much higher rates in challenging-to-access areas like North Kivu province, where the fatality rate has reached 68.6%.
A significant obstacle in combating this outbreak is the lack of approved vaccines or treatments specifically for the rare Bundibugyo virus strain responsible. On Friday, Congo received more than 16,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine. This vaccine proved effective in past Ebola outbreaks caused by a different, more common virus type. The World Health Organization plans to use Ervebo in clinical trials for a Bundibugyo virus vaccine, though its efficacy against this specific strain is not yet confirmed. Preliminary laboratory and animal studies suggest it might offer some protection.
Officials have not yet announced a rollout schedule for the vaccine among frontline workers. Residents in Ituri province have expressed hope that the arrival of the vaccines will help curb the spread of the virus. "We are fed up with recording new cases of Ebola every day," said Héritier Ramazani, a local resident.
The outbreak is occurring under extremely difficult conditions, compounded by rebel threats and significant population movements in the affected regions. Medical teams in Ituri and other impacted provinces are also facing challenges such as work stoppages due to unpaid responders, mistrust from communities with a history of trauma, poor infrastructure including bad roads, and the spread of misinformation denying the existence of Ebola.
Experts believe the virus began circulating in the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February, months before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.