WHO Reports 42 Fatalities in Recent Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that a recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has resulted in 42 deaths among 64 confirmed cases. The outbreak was officially declared in early September, prompting immediate response efforts. Despite the severity, WHO has classified the risk of widespread regional transmission as moderate.

Health authorities in the DRC have initiated a vaccination campaign aimed at curbing the spread of the highly contagious hemorrhagic fever. Over the past several decades, Ebola has claimed approximately 15,000 lives across Africa. The most devastating outbreak in the country occurred between 2018 and 2020, resulting in nearly 2,300 deaths.

The current outbreak's numbers, reported by WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on X (formerly Twitter), highlight the ongoing threat. He stated that "at this time, 64 people have had Ebola in the DRC, of which 42 have died," and emphasized the ongoing support from WHO and its partners in the response activities.

The WHO notes that factors contributing to the spread include insufficient protective equipment, delayed detection, incomplete contact tracing, and unsafe burial practices. Additionally, the high movement of populations and reliance on traditional healers in a country with over 100 million people increase the risk of transmission.

Ebola, first identified in 1976 and believed to originate from bats, spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, leading to severe bleeding and organ failure. The current outbreak involves the Zaire strain, for which a vaccine exists. The WHO has approved the shipment of approximately 45,000 additional vaccine doses to the DRC to support containment efforts.

In response to the outbreak, vaccination campaigns are underway, and health authorities continue to monitor and manage the situation closely, aiming to reduce the impact and prevent further cases.