Prof Pierre Akilimali says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still moving through eastern areas, with 3,360 confirmed cases and 1,487 deaths recorded. The outbreak has been described as the fastest growing in the known history of Ebola, and it is spreading across five provinces while cases keep rising in Bunia and Rwampara health zones.
Akilimali, who heads the Ebola response at the country’s public health institute, said there is still a long road to bringing the outbreak under control. He said there are between 100 and 150 new confirmed infections each week in Bunia and Rwampara, where the virus is moving faster than any of the country’s 16 previous Ebola outbreaks since it was officially declared on 15 May.
Deborah Nzuva in Rwampara
Deborah Nzuva, a mother of four in Rwampara, said the outbreak is already reshaping daily life for families living under its reach. “I fear that at some point, life may come to a standstill here in our province of Ituri” she said, adding, “We were already in a precarious situation before the Ebola virus disease, which continues to claim its victims.”
Her warning reflects the pressure facing people in Ituri, where Akilimali said insecurity, mining and high population density make the current outbreak more complex than previous ones. Annabelle Nissi, a clothing trader in Bunia, said, “This outbreak is causing us great distress. Our hope lies solely in God’s hands. It continues to disrupt our lives and has brought our development projects to a standstill.”
World Health Organization vaccine trials
Clinical trials of a vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain began in early July, and about 20 people had been enrolled as of 15 July. The trials could last up to four months, which leaves the response still relying on rapid detection, treatment and surveillance while the outbreak continues to spread.
Dr Justus Nsio, the field incident manager for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said, “All the experts monitoring this outbreak agree that it was detected too late. When detection is delayed, we have to work hard to make up for what we missed earlier in order to contain the disease.”
Democratic Republic of the Congo response
Congolese health officials estimate the overall case fatality rate at about 45%, a level that means the outbreak is taking a heavy toll even as response teams expand treatment capacity and surveillance. Akilimali said, “The public must also play their part by seeking medical advice at the slightest suspicion of infection” and added, “This will help us to respond effectively to the disease.”
The numbers are now approaching the previous worst toll from 2018-2020, when 3,470 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were infected. Uganda declared the Ebola outbreak over on its territory this week, 12 days after its last case was reported, while health teams in the Democratic Republic of the Congo still have to judge whether the current outbreak has started to slow or whether it is still heading toward a later peak.
