Deadly Ebola Outbreak in Congo Spirals Out of Control: ‘We’re Playing Catch-Up’ as Virus Spreads at Alarming Rate
- Congo’s Ebola outbreak has reached 1,048 confirmed cases and 267 deaths, with at least 19 children among the dead
- Aid workers are “playing catch-up” as the virus spreads rapidly, with testing kits failing to detect the rarer form of Ebola until weeks too late
- The outbreak is now the third worst on record and the second worst ever recorded in the DRC, with tensions running high among officials and aid workers
- Save the Children warns that the disease is spreading at a “household level”, with entire families being affected
The Democratic Republic of Congo is in the grip of a rapidly growing Ebola outbreak, with the virus spreading at an alarming rate and aid workers struggling to keep up.
The latest figures from the DRC’s Ministry of Communication and Media show that there are now 1,048 confirmed cases and 267 deaths, with at least 19 children among the dead.
The outbreak is now the third worst on record and the second worst ever recorded in the DRC.
The virus was first declared by the DRC’s Ministry of Health on May 15, and identified as a health emergency by the World Health Organization on May 17.
However, aid workers on the ground say that they are “playing catch-up” due to testing kits failing to detect the rarer form of Ebola virus until weeks too late.
“Everyone is running around trying to provide the best possible care in a situation where we just have no understanding of the actual transmission chains and the extent of the outbreak,” said Kate White, an emergency medical coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières.
The outbreak is concentrated in the mining town of Mongbwalu, where three Red Cross volunteers became some of the first known people to die from the disease.
Health officials have repeatedly stressed that they are “playing catch up” due to the limitations of the testing kits, which were designed to detect the more common Zaire Ebola virus, not the Bundibugyo Ebola virus now spreading.
Many treatment centres in the area are overwhelmed, and testing remains “one of the most significant weaknesses” in the response.
Despite a recent scale-up in the response, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has said that gaps in surveillance, contact tracing, diagnosis and more are undermining efforts to get the outbreak under control.
Insecurity, according to MSF, makes reaching certain communities difficult. Ituri and North Kivu are among the DRC’s “most volatile” regions, grappling with conflict, instability and climate shock.
The area has also seen an influx of almost 1 million displaced people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Contact tracing remains at about 70.8 per cent on average across the region, compared to the usual 80-90 per cent rate.
In just two weeks, the number of confirmed Ebola virus cases has increased more than eightfold, with at least 100 people now dead.
Save the Children’s Ebola response lead, Babou Rukengeza, has been in Ituri’s capital city of Bunia for almost three weeks. “We have some attacks on the team here on the ground, especially the team who are doing surveillance,” he told the ABC.
“There are a lot of rumours around this outbreak here in Bunia. The misinformation is really [that] Ebola does not exist, that it’s really something the health workers and the international NGOs are saying to get money.”
Aid agencies have intensified efforts to get the disease under control, with Save the Children working with community leaders, religious leaders and those who have survived the disease to spread awareness of Bundibugyo Ebola virus and help prevent the spread.
However, the organisation warns that the disease is spreading at a “household level”, with entire families being affected.
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has significant implications for Australia’s national security and global health. As a major player in the global health community, Australia has a responsibility to support efforts to contain the outbreak and prevent its spread.
The rapid spread of the virus highlights the need for increased investment in global health infrastructure and preparedness.
Security analysts say that the outbreak also poses a risk to regional stability, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding countries. The spread of the virus could exacerbate existing tensions and conflict in the region, with potentially devastating consequences.
Law enforcement insiders warn that the outbreak also poses a risk to Australia’s border security, as the virus could potentially spread to other countries through international travel.
Australia must remain vigilant and take steps to strengthen its border security measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
Industry observers believe that the outbreak will have significant economic consequences, particularly for the mining and healthcare industries. The spread of the virus could disrupt global supply chains and lead to significant economic losses.
