The Ebola outbreak sweeping through eastern Congo has expanded to two more health zones, bringing the total number of affected areas to nearly 60, according to figures released by the government on Friday.
The newly affected areas are Biena and Manguredjipa, both in North Kivu province. Health authorities said the fatality rate in the two areas is significantly higher than the overall outbreak rate of 48%, partly because response efforts were delayed.
According to the Ministry of Health, Congo has now recorded 5,794 confirmed Ebola cases and 2,786 deaths. The rapid spread of the virus has made it increasingly difficult for health teams to identify cases, trace contacts and contain transmission.
The outbreak is unfolding amid a difficult humanitarian situation. Insecurity, mass displacement, a strike by health workers and large movements of people have complicated efforts to respond to the disease.
The World Health Organization has warned that the outbreak remains out of control and could eventually surpass the devastating 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which claimed more than 11,000 lives, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Congo began vaccinating healthcare workers and other frontline personnel on Thursday using the Ervebo vaccine, which has previously been effective against Ebola outbreaks caused by the more common Zaire virus.
However, Ervebo does not target the virus responsible for the current outbreak. Researchers are conducting clinical trials in an effort to develop a licensed vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus, a rarer strain for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Although authorities officially declared the outbreak in mid-May, officials believe the virus may have been circulating since February. What initially involved just three health zones has now expanded to almost 60.
Health officials are also facing another major challenge: many of the infections and deaths are being recorded outside the established network of monitored contacts, making it harder to identify transmission chains within communities.
The response has also affected everyday life across the six provinces where the outbreak has been reported. Restrictions on public gatherings, social-distancing measures and airport closures have disrupted communities, with Ituri among the areas facing particularly severe difficulties because of ongoing rebel violence.
The government has introduced additional measures, including the installation of health and sanitation facilities at strategic locations. However, advocacy groups say authorities must do more to gain the confidence and cooperation of communities if the outbreak is to be brought under control.
