The third largest Ebola outbreak in history is now threatening 10 Sub-Saharan countries and has claimed at least 175 lives.
“We have 10 countries at risk,” said Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC. The outbreak is believed to have started in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The outbreak is said to have spread rapidly because of the large number of people who were exposed to the body during funerary practices involving the victim.
“People can get infected with the virus from another person by direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with,” infected bodily fluids as well as coming in contact with infected surfaces, said the World Health Organization in a comprehensive briefing on Ebola Virus. Common African funeral practices involve touching and other close contact with the deceased person.
The Africa CDC is “providing information on how to handle funerals,” said Kaseya. Funerals have been a concern during previous Ebola outbreaks, especially the 2014-2016 West African Ebola outbreak. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, this rare strain has only caused two previous outbreaks one in 2007 and one in 2012.
At least 37 people died during the 2007 outbreak in Western Uganda, this outbreak led to the discovery of the virus, according to the director of the team at the US CDC who discovered the virus, Dr. Tom Ksiazek. The Bundibugyo species of Ebola is about 30% less deadly than the Zaire virus that caused the West Africa outbreak, and 15% less deadly than the oldest known Ebola strain, Sudan. However the global response to the epidemic is strained and the Bundigyo Virus is thought to have an at least 30% death rate.
The situation is “especially challenging,” said World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. DR Congo has recorded at least 750 suspected cases and over 177 suspected deaths, however officials have said that the real figure is likely much higher as the virus is thought to be outpacing the response.
“The virus knows no borders, it knows no race, it knows no tribe, the virus affects us all, said DR Congo’s Health Minister Roger Kamba.
