One month after officials first identified the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says the outbreak is far from contained in one of the most dangerous corners of the world.
In a new statement, the international medical organization said this outbreak has been defined by a lack of timely testing, which allowed transmission for weeks before the outbreak was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.
“Testing remains one of the most significant weaknesses in the response, despite recent improvements in laboratory capacity and the arrival of hundreds of mobile test kits in eastern DRC, designed specifically for the Bundibugyo virus,” Kate White, the emergency medical coordinator for MSF in the DRC, said in a statement. “Many communities, especially those affected by ongoing insecurity, still have limited access to these kits, while treatment centres continue to face significant delays in receiving laboratory results.”
In an exclusive interview with Stat News, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, said he was “really worried” about the outbreak after visiting the DRC.
“When the community is not taking it as its priority, it’s very hard,’’ Tedros told Stat. He said that in the North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces where the outbreak is centered, Ebola is seen as a lesser evil compared with armed conflict, widespread hunger, and more common deadly diseases experienced daily.
At least 52 cases among children
The outbreak is now the third largest in history, with BNO News reporting 801 confirmed Ebola cases and 183 deaths.
Children have been hard hit in this outbreak, with at least 52 cases among children and 16 among toddlers and infants. Young children are also more likely to die from infections compared with adults.
“This outbreak is more than a health emergency, it is a wider social crisis with significant consequences for children, caregivers and communities,” said Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Country Director in the DRC, in a statement. “Not only have many families lost their loved ones, but many others are caring for sick relatives while trying to protect themselves and their children.”
