The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Ebola is spreading in a western province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), raising fears that the disease could reach neighbouring Republic of Congo and even the capital, Kinshasa. “The most recently affected area, Bomongo, is the second affected health zone that borders the Republic of Congo, which heightens the chances of this outbreak to spread into another country”, said WHO Spokesperson, Fadéla Chaib, underlining the need for cross-border collaboration and coordination.
According to a report on UN News, the outbreak in Equateur Province emerged in early June and has now spread into another of its 17 health zones, bringing the total number of affected zones to 12. So far, there have been 113 cases and 48 deaths. The risk of the disease spreading as far as Kinshasa is also a very real concern for the UN agency. One of the affected areas, Mbandaka, is connected to the capital by a busy river route used by thousands every week. Ebola is a viral haemorrhagic fever of humans and it has become endemic in the DRC. The country is presently battling its 11th outbreak in over 40 years.
This is the second Ebola outbreak in Equateur Province and the 11th overall in the DRC, which recently defeated the disease in its volatile eastern region after a two-year battle. WHO and partners have been on the ground since the early days of the outbreak. More than 90 experts are in Equateur, and additional staff have recently been deployed from the capital, including experts in epidemiology, vaccination, community engagement, infection prevention and control, laboratory and treatment.
Nearly one million travellers have been screened, which helped identify some 72 suspected Ebola cases, thus reducing further spread. However, the UN agency warned that the response is “grossly underfunded”. WHO has provided some $2.3 million in support so far, and has urged donors to back a $40 million plan by the Congolese government.
This latest Ebola outbreak is unfolding amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As of now, there were more than 10,300 cases and 260 deaths across the vast African nation. While there are several similarities in addressing the two diseases, such as the need to identify and test contacts, isolate causes, and promote effective prevention measures, but without extra funding, it will be even harder to defeat Ebola.
