The World Health Organization (WHO) says there are “encouraging signs” in the fight against the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), although the epidemic continues to spread and remains deadly.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the assessment on Wednesday during a news conference in Geneva, saying health authorities were beginning to see progress in some of the areas most affected by the outbreak.
“We are starting to see encouraging signs that we’re gaining ground,” Tedros said.
The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in mid-May, with cases reported across seven provinces in the northern and eastern parts of the country, areas also affected by insecurity and the activities of armed groups.
More than 7,200 cases and 3,500 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began, according to the figures cited by the WHO.
Ebola is a highly infectious disease transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. It can cause severe illness, including internal and external bleeding and organ failure.
Tedros said the rate of transmission had started to decline in the worst-affected parts of Ituri province, which has been identified as the epicentre of the outbreak.
He also noted that South Kivu had not recorded a new case since May, another development he described as part of the signs of progress in containing the disease.
“Trials of treatments and post-exposure prophylaxis are picking up speed, due to increased community engagement,” he added.
The WHO chief said vaccine trials were expected to commence in the coming weeks, but cautioned against assuming that the outbreak was already under control.
“Make no mistake: the epidemic continues to grow and continues to kill,” he said.
Tedros stressed that despite the progress recorded in some areas, the response would still require sustained efforts over a considerable period.
“We still have many, many months ahead of us,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemic and pandemic management at the WHO.
The Ebola outbreak is occurring against the backdrop of persistent insecurity in parts of the DRC, creating additional challenges for health workers and efforts to reach affected communities.
Source: AFP
