WHO Says DRC Ebola Outbreak Began in February, Leaving 4,200 Cases Before Detection Caught Up
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 10
WHO Says DRC Ebola Outbreak Began in February, Leaving 4,200 Cases Before Detection Caught Up
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 10
Summary
February sequencing data showed the DRC outbreak was already underway months before its May 15 declaration, with early infections mistaken for malaria and typhoid.
4,200 confirmed cases and at least 1,900 deaths have now been recorded, and WHO says the virus is still outrunning responders as cases double in some hotspots.
The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment, and early testing focused on the more common Zaire Ebola virus, adding to the delayed response.
Strikes by unpaid health workers, rebel threats, misinformation, poor roads, gear shortages and displacement have compounded the crisis in one of eastern Congo's most fragile regions.
WHO on Friday backed full-scale trials of Ervebo for possible partial protection, while experts say a dedicated Bundibugyo vaccine remains the preferred longer-term option.