Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have increased to 2,973, with 1,309 deaths reported. Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka cautioned that the outbreak could worsen the humanitarian crisis in the eastern DRC. She mentioned that the government has allocated $50 million for the response, in addition to contributions from international partners.
Speaking in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province and the outbreak’s epicenter, Suminwa emphasized the urgent need for swift delivery and deployment of logistical resources in the expanding outbreak area. She highlighted the necessity of ensuring the availability of laboratory equipment, water and oxygen supplies, ambulances, hygiene materials, and equipment for safe burials.
Suminwa also stressed the importance of heightened vigilance at displacement sites to prevent the epidemic from exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Ituri and other parts of the eastern DRC. The latest health authorities’ report revealed that 540 patients have recovered so far, while 766 individuals remain isolated or hospitalized. The report indicated that the epidemic is still in a phase of sustained transmission, with a significant level of virus circulation.
According to the report, 123 health workers and frontline personnel have contracted the virus, with 36 fatalities among them. The prime minister mentioned ongoing efforts by researchers to develop a treatment and vaccine for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus responsible for the current outbreak. She expressed optimism that a vaccine and treatment could potentially be available within the next two to four months.
