Ebola death toll exceeds 600 as Africa CDC urges sustained efforts against fast-growing outbreak

Addis Ababa, July 9 (IANS) Experts from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday urged sustained international solidarity, as the death toll of the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has surpassed 600 in Congo and Uganda.

The two affected countries have recorded a cumulative 1,779 confirmed cases and 602 deaths, with a case fatality rate of about 34 per cent, while some 302 patients have recovered from the disease so far, according to the latest data from the African Union’s continental public health agency.

During an online press briefing, Wessam Mankoula, operations manager for the Ebola response at Africa CDC, noted that Congo recorded some 353 confirmed cases during the past week, which marked a 25 per cent increase in the country’s caseload, Xinhua news agency reported.

“We continue facing the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever on the continent,” Mankoula said.

“The outbreak is still growing and evolving. Unfortunately, the virus is still ahead of our response.”

Africa CDC data showed that as the outbreak expands in Congo, for every 10 infected individuals, the virus is transmitted to nearly 14 new people.

The experts further noted critical gaps related to financing, inadequate safe burial capacity, and healthcare worker infections and deaths.

Some 112 healthcare workers have been infected with the virus, and 35 have lost their lives so far in Congo.

On a positive note, they highlighted commendable improvements, including progress in lab testing capacity, currently reaching more than 2,000 tests per day.

The recent commencement of clinical trials of therapeutics on the Bundibugyo Ebola strain is considered a major breakthrough given the lack of licensed vaccines or targeted medical countermeasures to the particular strain.

Meanwhile, the agency acknowledged Uganda’s outbreak containment efforts, with only one admitted case, and the last confirmed case was reported back on June 21.

“Uganda is demonstrating that Ebola can be controlled. They are able to control the outbreak quickly, and the situation is totally under control at this stage,” Mankoula said.

The Africa CDC declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of continental security on May 18, just a day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern.

Beyond the two directly affected nations, 11 other countries across the continent have been designated as high-risk, namely South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Zambia, the Central African Republic, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, Congo, Burundi, and Somalia.

–IANS

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