Image@ Aljazeera
The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is escalating rapidly, with health authorities reporting a sharp increase in infections and deaths, raising fresh concerns over efforts to contain the disease.
According to the DRC’s Ministry of Health, the outbreak has claimed at least 930 lives, while 2,344 confirmed infections had been recorded by Saturday.
Officials disclosed that 37 people died within a 24-hour period between Friday and Saturday, marking one of the deadliest single-day increases since the epidemic was officially declared on 15 May.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the current outbreak as the fastest-growing Ebola emergency the country has ever experienced.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that the 2018–2020 epidemic required more than ten months to surpass 2,000 confirmed cases, whereas the present outbreak reached the same milestone in only two months.
He cautioned that the actual number of infections could be significantly higher than officially documented.
Dr Tedros said the current epidemic has become the third-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded, warning that transmission has accelerated beyond the pace observed during previous outbreaks.
The latest wave of infections originated in Ituri Province in northeastern DRC, an area plagued by armed conflict and insecurity.
Since then, Ebola has spread across five provinces and crossed into neighbouring Uganda.
Although Ugandan health officials say they are close to eliminating the virus, transmission continues to intensify inside the DRC.
Response efforts have also been hampered by industrial action from healthcare workers in Ituri.
Medical staff at Bunia General Hospital recently suspended work, citing unpaid allowances despite treating Ebola patients under hazardous conditions.
Health experts remain concerned that the outbreak is not being fully tracked.
The WHO reported that more than four out of every five newly confirmed infections are emerging outside existing contact-tracing networks, suggesting that numerous chains of transmission remain undetected.
Despite the worsening situation, the Ministry of Health said 724 patients are currently receiving treatment in isolation centres, while response operations are being strengthened in the hardest-hit communities.
Authorities also reported 22 recoveries within the past day, offering a measure of hope as containment measures continue.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong