Who chief arrives in drc as ebola outbreak intensifies

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a stark warning on Saturday regarding the current Ebola surge, describing its escalation as « intensifies at an exceptional pace ». Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reported a total of 3,874 confirmed cases and 1,751 fatalities since the onset of this epidemic. This current crisis follows the nation’s deadliest Ebola outbreak, which between 2018 and 2020, claimed nearly 2,300 lives among 3,500 recorded infections.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the WHO, arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, on Tuesday. He was scheduled to hold discussions with Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi on Wednesday, a WHO representative in Kinshasa indicated, without providing further details.

Dr. Ghebreyesus had previously visited Ituri (northeast) in late May. This region serves as the epicenter of the current epidemic, accounting for nearly 90% of all reported cases. The ongoing outbreak is attributed to the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists. The virus is spreading in areas characterized by a fragile state presence and severely underdeveloped health infrastructure.

Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesperson for the WHO, communicated from Geneva on Tuesday that the epidemic « unfortunately continues to spread at a pace that outstrips response capabilities ». He emphasized the urgent need for « increased financial support » and additional resources. These resources are crucial for bolstering « treatment capacities, enhancing field investigation teams, and improving safe burial practices ».

Ebola, a disease transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, triggers hemorrhagic fever. Over the past five decades, it has claimed more than 15,000 people across Africa. The current epidemic has seen a significant spread over the last two months, now affecting five provinces within the DRC: Ituri, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo.

In a positive development, Canada on Tuesday granted authorization for the American pharmaceutical giant Moderna to commence clinical trials for a vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Furthermore, the « rVSV Bundibugyo » vaccine, which the WHO has hailed as « the most promising », is also slated for development by Hilleman Laboratories, based in Singapore.

Towards the end of July, a first volunteer received the initial dose of another Bundibugyo vaccine. This vaccine, developed by Oxford University (United Kingdom), utilizes technology similar to that of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine. Concurrently, several initiatives are actively pursuing rapid testing of various treatments against the Bundibugyo strain. These include antiviral medications such as remdesivir and obeldesivir, along with a monoclonal antibody known as MBP134.

The DRC, a vast nation home to over 100 million people, officially declared its 17th Ebola epidemic on May 15, following a delay of several weeks.