The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday raised the national risk assessment for the DRC to “very high” – although the global risk remains “low”.
So far, 82 cases and seven deaths have been confirmed in the DRC, but the WHO says the true scale of the outbreak is likely much larger, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths reported.
The epidemic is developing against a backdrop of intensifying fighting, massive displacement and deep distrust of external authorities, fueled by rumors and misinformation.
A hospital in Ituri province was set on fire Thursday by angry relatives after authorities refused to return the body of a deceased family member, fearing contamination, according to reports.
How the UN system is responding
- WHO raises Ebola risk in DRC ‘very high’; regional risk remains “high” and global risk “low”
- WHO deploys 22 international staff; UNICEF sends an emergency response team to Bunia.
- Health teams supporting contact tracing, treatment centers, risk communication and community engagement
- UN relief chief allocates up to $60 million for response in DRC and neighboring countries; WHO releases $3.9 million
- WHO and Africa CDC establish continental incident management support team
- MONUSCO airlifts nearly 30 tonnes of emergency equipment – including medicines, tents and protective equipment
- The UN peacekeeping mission also operates an airlift and deploys vehicles to bolster logistics
- WHO and its partners are preparing clinical trials for experimental Ebola treatments and potential vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo strain.
- Red Cross volunteers carry out door-to-door awareness campaigns and mobilize safe and dignified burial procedures
Learn more about the epidemic here and about Ebola symptoms And prevention here.
Two cases in Uganda
Two cases – linked to travel from the DRC – have been confirmed in Uganda, including one death.
Two American nationals – including a doctor and another person described as a “high-risk contact” – were transferred to Europe for treatment or monitoring.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Only two previous outbreaks of the strain have been recorded – in Uganda in 2007 and the DRC in 2012.
Conflict complicates response
The epidemic is growing in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, regions long marked by armed violence and humanitarian crises.
“In the two provinces, around four million people are in need of emergency humanitarian assistance, two million are displaced and ten million face acute hunger.” said Tedros.
Fighting has intensified in recent months, displacing more than 100,000 people and hampering health operations.
60 million emergency dollars allocated
Also on Friday, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher announced the allocation of up to $60 million from the Organization’s Central Emergency Response Fund to support the response in the DRC and neighboring countries.
“These are challenging operating environments for life-saving work,” Mr Fletcher said. “We are facing conflicts and significant population movements. »
He stressed the importance of guaranteeing access for frontline responders, including in areas controlled by armed groups. “It is essential that there are no obstructions,” he said.
The province of Ituri (photo), in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is among the most affected areas.
Accusation of “manufacturing” Ebola
Humanitarian agencies have stressed that misinformation and mistrust could harm efforts to contain the outbreak.
Gabriela Arenas of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said many communities still carry the trauma of previous Ebola outbreaks.
“They remember the fear. They remember the rumors that spread in the villages,“, she told reporters in Geneva from Nairobi. “They remember neighbors going missing in treatment centers.”
While many residents seek information and treatment, others continue to believe “that Ebola is fabricated,” she said.
The International Federation said Red Cross volunteers were already going door to door in affected areas to share information and support safe and dignified burials.
“During an Ebola outbreak, community trust and acceptance can make the difference between containment and wider transmission,” said Ms. Arenas.
Women most at risk
The social dynamics driving transmission could disproportionately affect women, as they have in previous Ebola outbreaks, agencies warn.
“Women are more likely to be infected in the first placesaid Sofia Calltorp, UN Women humanitarian chief.
During the DRC’s 2018 to 2019 Ebola outbreak, women and girls made up about two-thirds of reported cases.
“Indeed, Ebola transmission follows social realities,” Ms Calltorp said. “The virus spreads through caregiving, domestic work, frontline health work and funeral practices. »
Pregnant women are particularly at risk, she added, while quarantines can increase gender-based violence.
A WHO staff member at the agency’s response center in Nairobi prepares emergency supplies to be flown to areas affected by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Containment efforts intensify
The WHO said it had deployed 22 international staff to the field and released $3.9 million from its emergency fund.while a continental incident management team was being established with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency and its partners are also accelerating work on experimental vaccines and treatments against the Bundibugyo strain.
Tedros said the WHO’s research advisory group had recommended prioritizing two monoclonal antibodies for clinical trials, as well as testing the antiviral drug obeldesivir for high-risk contacts.
He also stressed the importance of restoring trust.
“Building trust in affected communities is essential to a successful response and is one of our highest priorities.» he said.
