Deaths linked to Congo’s Ebola outbreak surpass 5,000 as fear of continent-wide spread grows

The number of deaths linked to Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 5,000 as the country grapples with the relentless spread of the disease and cases are recorded in other African countries, according to the latest government data released on Saturday.

Data from the Congolese Ministry of Health showed that the disease killed 5,026 people out of 10,351 infected, a case fatality rate of almost 50%. The rise is raising concerns among experts about authorities’ ability to contain the deadly virus.

The latest outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was declared in mid-May, taking authorities by surprise. Since then, they have struggled to achieve this.

It is already the second deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, just behind the two-year outbreak in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, which killed 11,000 people in several countries.

“It’s a very tragic step because it’s just not a number,” said Dr. Patrick Otim, program sector manager at the World Health Organization. “These are the families and communities that have been devastated by this outbreak. This figure also shows the severity of this outbreak.”

So far, 2,788 people have recovered from the virus. There is no known vaccine or treatment for Bundibugyo virus, but health workers treat patients based on symptoms.

Since May, the disease has spread to 67 of the country’s 178 health zones, in eight of 26 provinces. Fifty of the 67 affected health zones have active cases.

The virus has been concentrated in the eastern region of Congo, particularly Ituri and North Kivu, which have become the epicenters with 9,782 total confirmed cases and 4,792 total deaths.

Authorities are still struggling to trace contacts and carry out tests, key elements in the race to stem the epidemic.

According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 80% of new cases come from outside the monitored chain of contacts, meaning an overwhelming share of infections come from transmission chains unknown to health authorities.

In addition, a third of recorded deaths are victims who died outside treatment centers, before being tested for Ebola, said WHO Otim. Health officials say these issues contribute to community transmission outside the immediate purview of health workers who are able to effectively manage the infection according to medical protocols.

“These are people we never had a chance to try to save and that’s one of our biggest concerns in this outbreak. How can we try to reach people as early as possible to get them to health facilities to have a chance of survival?” said Otim.

Congo’s explosive number of infections adds to a long list of problems that have crippled efforts to contain the outbreak.

The eastern region of Congo, where the outbreak is concentrated, is the scene of conflict between the government and a range of armed groups, foremost among them the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group, and there is also an Islamist insurgency in border areas with Uganda, where the Allied Democratic Forces are carrying out attacks, limiting the reach of health workers.

Furthermore, there is widespread disbelief among the population, which has led to a series of attacks on health workers and health facilities. A nurse was killed while responding to an Ebola alert last week, and a ruling party politician was killed in September after pleading for health measures on the radio.

Health workers have led numerous strikes, closing facilities where they treated infected people, citing long payment delays from the government.

Workers at an Ebola treatment center in Tchomia, Ituri, downed tools on Friday, demanding four months of unpaid wages. At the center, five confirmed Ebola patients and 10 suspected cases are currently being treated.

“We are tired of demanding our salaries. If they want to pay us, they will. … Today, being able to feed our families has become a real problem,” Moise Mugenyi, one of the strikers, told the AP.

Dr. Justin Mukonkole, acting head of response operations in Ituri, said workers should be patient while the government responds to their demands.

Similar situations have occurred in other health zones such as Beni in North Kivu, where services in some treatment centers are paralyzed. Alain Siwako, an elected official from Beni, said cases are increasing in Beni due to the lack of fuel and financial resources from the central government.

“In Ituri and North Kivu, this outbreak is putting a strain on everyone responding to it, including the communities themselves,” said Rose Tchwenko, DRC country director, Prosper Global (formerly Mercy Corps).

In October, Kenya and Nigeria confirmed cases of Ebola. Kenya has confirmed eight cases and 2 deaths, while Nigeria’s only confirmed case was evacuated to Switzerland.

Confirmation of cases in both countries, and earlier in Uganda, made this latest outbreak the first recorded in three African regions and the most geographically widespread outbreak on the continent.