Now Reading: Ebola spreads to sixth Congo province; WHO warns of deadliest outbreak
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Ebola spreads to sixth Congo province; WHO warns of deadliest outbreak
Ebola spreads to sixth Congo province; WHO warns of deadliest outbreak
Congo's Ebola outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, has spread to a sixth province after a man died in Bas-Uele. Africa CDC says he travelled from Isiro to Buta. Over 4,500…
The Story in Brief
Congo's Ebola outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, has spread to a sixth province after a man died in Bas-Uele. Africa CDC says he travelled from Isiro to Buta. Over 4,500 cases and 2,100 deaths have been reported. The WHO warns the outbreak could become the deadliest ever, surpassing the 2014-16 West Africa epidemic that killed 11,000 people.
The virus is spreading faster than the response, the WHO says. Between 60% and 70% of new cases occur outside monitored contacts. Health workers at a treatment centre in Ituri went on strike over unpaid wages, temporarily closing the facility. No approved vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo virus. Clinical trials for two treatments began last month.
The Indian Opinion
The usual script blames only rebel violence and local mistrust for Ebola's spread. But the strike by unpaid health workers at Ituri's treatment centre shows the outbreak also feeds on broken state machinery. Claims that the Bundibugyo virus was circulating for months before the May declaration demand an answer: was the delay a failure of surveillance, or of political will? The number that will settle the question is how many cases were missed during those months.
Source: livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
