The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is worsening rapidly, with the virus reportedly claiming one life every 30 minutes, according to a senior United Nations humanitarian official.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher warned that the latest outbreak was spreading at an alarming pace and called for stronger international action to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
“This Ebola outbreak is spreading the fastest. We need speed, scale and solidarity before it spreads further ahead of us,” Fletcher said in a statement yesterday.
At least 2,128 people have died from more than 4,500 confirmed cases since the outbreak was declared in the DRC on May 15. The scale of the outbreak has raised concerns that it could become the deadliest Ebola epidemic ever recorded.
“Ebola is increasingly winning in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We cannot allow the virus to outpace our response,” Fletcher said while outlining ongoing efforts to contain the disease.
Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever. Fletcher warned that the rapid spread of the virus means more people are now at risk of infection.
The international community has so far contributed almost US$300 million (RM1.2 billion) towards efforts to combat the outbreak, but the UN official stressed the need for a faster and larger response.
Cases have been recorded across six provinces in the DRC, while Uganda has also reported infections. Additional cases have emerged near the border with South Sudan, raising concerns over further cross-border transmission.
The latest outbreak is the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in the DRC and is being driven by the Bundibugyo variant, for which there is currently no specific treatment or vaccine available.
Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people across Africa over the past five decades, making continued surveillance, rapid medical intervention and international cooperation crucial in containing the disease.
