The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda has reached more than 550 cases, according to the latest updates from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The DRC has 544 cases and 88 deaths, all confirmed Ebola Bundibugyo, and Uganda has 19 cases and two deaths. Overall, 34 healthcare workers in both DRC and Uganda have been sickened in the outbreak, and five have died.
Ituri province in the DRC, specifically the town of Bunia, is the epicenter of the outbreak, with the province reporting 515 cases. According to the latest Disease Outbreak News update from the World Health Organization (WHO), the case-fatality rate for the current outbreak is 17.4%, lower than previous outbreaks of the virus.
The reported CFR is likely an underestimation as many deaths that occurred before the outbreak declaration remain under investigation.
“The reported CFR is likely an underestimation as many deaths that occurred before the outbreak declaration remain under investigation. So far, 12 patients have recovered,” the WHO said.
WHO head warns closed border may not work
Of note, the WHO said about 70% of the cases in Uganda are Congolese nationals who came to Uganda to seek medical care in the first weeks of the outbreak. Today, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanam Ghebreyesus, PhD, said while visiting Uganda that the country should reconsider its closed border with DRC.
While Tedros praised Uganda’s rapid response and control in the outbreak, he warned that blanket travel restrictions don’t work. Uganda first closed its border to DRC on May 27. While Tedros said continued screening at the border was necessary, closure would likely cause unintended economic consequences for the already volatile region.
Africa CDC announces new funding
Africa CDC announced a $220.6 million emergency financing package from the Pandemic Fund to support efforts to contain the current outbreak and protect at-risk countries across Central and Eastern Africa.
The money will help implement the joint Africa CDC-WHO Continental Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, announced late last week, which aims to control the outbreak within 6 months. As part of the plan, the money will go to disease surveillance, laboratory systems, health workforce capacity and cross-border coordination.
“This financing is a major boost to the ongoing efforts of affected countries and partners to bring the outbreak under control while strengthening preparedness across the region,” said Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya, MD, MPH, in a statement. “It demonstrates the Pandemic Fund’s deep recognition of the importance of acting early, acting collectively, and investing in national and regional capacities to protect communities from current and future health threats.”
Finally today, Peter Stafford, MD, an American missionary doctor who contracted Ebola while working in the DRC, has been discharged from Charite Hospital in Berlin, where he was evacuated on May 20 and treated for his infection. Stafford and his family are all in good health, officials said.
While at Charite, Stafford received experimental antivirals. “I received first-class care, including experimental therapies currently being trialed for this type of virus,” Stafford said in a statement. “Our thoughts remain with the people in the Congo who do not have access to such care.”
