The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has killed more than 200 people just over a month after it was declared, the African Union’s health agency said on Thursday.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported 202 deaths out of 875 confirmed cases, putting the fatality rate at 23 per cent.
Wessam Mankoula, a Doctor of Africa CDC said contact tracing remains a major concern.
“What is worrisome for us is the contact tracing status,” he said.
He added that security problems and limited access to affected areas are hampering response teams from Africa CDC, the World Health Organization and other partners. As a result, contact tracing remains low.
The Red Cross warned this week that the outbreak in the DRC, declared on 15 May, has not yet peaked and could take up to a year to contain.
The current outbreak is the 17th Ebola epidemic in the vast central African country. Authorities say response efforts face major challenges on the ground.
There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak.
The affected areas include Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in northeastern DRC. These regions have long been affected by conflict and mass displacement, which has further complicated the response.
The virus has also spread to neighbouring Uganda. However, containment measures there have shown some success. Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths, with most infections linked to Congolese travellers.
