By Desmond Nleya
The World Health Organization is set to hold an emergency committee meeting as the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to worsen, with the death toll now estimated at 131 from 513 suspected cases.
The latest figures, announced by Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba, mark a sharp rise from the previous tally of 91 deaths linked to 350 suspected infections. Health officials have warned that investigations are still underway to confirm whether all suspected deaths were directly caused by Ebola.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed grave concern over the rapid spread of the outbreak, which has already crossed into neighbouring Uganda.
Speaking at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday, Tedros said he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic” after officially declaring the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern earlier this week.
The WHO Emergency Committee, made up of international health experts, is expected to review possible vaccine strategies for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola — a rare variant for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
The outbreak is centred in Ituri Province in northeastern DRC, near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan, an area known for heavy cross-border movement linked to gold mining activities.
Health authorities say the virus has already spread to neighbouring provinces and areas nearly 200 kilometres from the identified epicentre.
Medical experts say the Bundibugyo strain has a fatality rate of up to 50 percent. Although Merck’s Ervebo vaccine is approved for the Zaire strain of Ebola, scientists are now evaluating whether it could provide partial protection against the current outbreak strain.
Dr Mosoka Fallah of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said experts would assess available scientific evidence before deciding on the best response strategy.
Meanwhile, the WHO confirmed that additional emergency medical supplies, including personal protective equipment for frontline health workers, are being delivered to affected areas in the DRC.
In a related development, Germany is preparing to receive and treat a United States citizen who contracted Ebola while working in the DRC, according to German health authorities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the individual tested positive after exposure linked to humanitarian work in the outbreak zone.
