Home / Health / Ebola Outbreak Spans Congo and Uganda: 43 Dead
Ebola Outbreak Spans Congo and Uganda: 43 Dead
31 May
Summary
- Bundibugyo virus outbreak kills 43, with no approved treatment or vaccine.
- Over 1,100 suspected cases under investigation in Congo and Uganda.
- WHO chief visited Bunia, urging against unsafe burials and travel bans.
A severe outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a potent form of Ebola, is spreading across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. As of Saturday, 43 confirmed deaths were reported by the World Health Organization and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, with 42 in Congo and one in Uganda.
Overall, 272 confirmed cases have been identified, 263 in Congo and nine in Uganda. A staggering 349 suspected deaths and over 1,100 suspected cases are under ongoing investigation across both nations.
The virus, believed to originate from fruit bats, spreads through contact with infected wildlife secretions and then person-to-person. Inadequate infection control in healthcare settings and burial practices involving contact with the deceased amplify its spread.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited Bunia, the outbreak's epicenter in Congo's Ituri province. He stressed the importance of safe burial practices and advised against travel bans, stating they hinder transparency. Tedros expressed optimism, noting that five patients in Bunia had recovered, highlighting that recovery from Ebola is possible even without approved treatments or vaccines.
