The Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak is in its seventh province and raises new questions on the matter.
According to Congolese health officials, a case of Bundibugyo virus disease was confirmed in South-Ubangi province of northwestern DRC. The victim was a 23-year-old man who later succumbed to the infection. The latest case is important due to the geographical distance between South-Ubangi and the other affected eastern provinces. Besides, South-Ubangi province is bordered by the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo.
The news follows the announcement that the number of cases in the current DRC Ebola outbreak is over 7,000, with over 3,398 people dead.
How Did Ebola Spread to South-Ubangi?
The South-Ubangi case brings into focus the issue of people movement.
According to local officials, the patient who contracted Ebola came to South-Ubangi from South Kivu by traveling via various districts of DRC. The reports suggest that in addition to Rwanda and Uganda, he had visited Ituri, Tshopo and Mongala before arriving in South-Ubangi and exhibiting symptoms leading to death.
Authorities are trying to trace the patient’s contacts. The case was registered in the Bulu health zone, making South-Ubangi the first province in the west of DRC affected by the present Ebola outbreak.
What Is So Different About the Bundibugyo Strain of Ebola That Makes the Outbreak So Complicated?
The current Ebola outbreak is due to Bundibugyo virus.
Unlike other Ebola outbreaks associated with the Zaire species of Ebola, at present there are no licensed vaccines for Bundibugyo virus disease. The licensed Ervebo vaccine, which protects against Zaire ebolavirus, is administered only under research protocols to front-line workers since there is no sufficient evidence of its effectiveness against Bundibugyo.
Scientists are also testing various vaccine and treatment options for the particular virus strain. One such treatment trial, named PARTNERS, started recruiting participants back in July and has already covered hundreds of confirmed cases.
Health System of the DRC is Under Increasing Pressure
This increase is taking place amid considerable operational problems of the Ebola outbreak response system.
According to WHO, there is a shortage of skilled health care personnel, funding, and operational partners. In addition, insecurity, armed conflicts, displacements, and movements of population complicate contact tracing and accessing vulnerable populations.
The last WHO update stated that there were 6,757 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths from the disease in the DRC as of September 7, prior to updating the numbers based on the newly released national figures. WHO also noted that the risk to the neighboring countries is still high.
The current outbreak now affects 62 health zones in 7 provinces of the country. Ituri Province is the center of the epidemic, whereas the number of newly infected people in North Kivu has increased lately.
How Will the Seven Provincial Development Affect Africa?
South-Ubangi is situated in such a way that the development will have an alarming effect on preparedness.
The province shares borders with both the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo, thus making border surveillance highly significant. According to WHO, the continued movement of the population may make the import and export of the disease more possible.
Uganda, one of the neighboring states to DRC, had experienced 20 cases of Ebola during its Bundibugyo outbreak but recently declared itself to be free of the disease in July.
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