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Ebola Surges in Congo Refugee Camp
12 Jun
Summary
- Two Ebola-related deaths confirmed in crowded Kpangba displacement camp.
- The rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has no approved treatment or vaccine.
- Outbreak has spread to Uganda, with 19 cases reported there.
Two recent deaths in a large displacement camp in eastern Congo have been confirmed as Ebola-related, according to the U.N. refugee agency. The victims, a mother and daughter who died on May 31 and June 1, were residents of the Kpangba camp, which hosts approximately 30,000 internally displaced people.
Aid workers are expressing significant worry about the potential for rapid transmission within the densely populated camp. They highlight the challenging conditions, including tents with tarp walls and inadequate hygiene facilities, making isolation difficult. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which is implicated in this outbreak, currently has no approved treatment or vaccine.
The virus has now spread across three provinces in Congo: Ituri, South Kivu, and North Kivu. These regions have a history of conflict and are home to over five million displaced individuals. As of Friday, Congo has recorded 676 confirmed cases and 136 deaths. The outbreak has also extended to Uganda, with 19 cases reported there.
