The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has prompted a response from United Nations agencies in both the DRC and neighbouring Uganda since May 15. The virus spreads through close contact.
WHO Technical Officer Anaïs Legand said early detection, prevention and community mobilisation remained critical to saving lives while potential treatments and vaccines were still being assessed.
Legand said Ebola was often transmitted during care for sick relatives, including husbands, partners, children and mothers. Legand said communities needed clear instructions not to touch loved ones showing symptoms.
Legand said previous outbreaks showed a fatality rate ranging from 30% to 50%. Legand said stronger recovery outcomes were still possible through optimised intensive care, early recognition of symptoms and faster diagnosis.
Legand also said Ebola flare-ups could only be controlled when communities were fully involved in the response. Legand pointed to a recent case in the DRC in which a patient recovered fully and was discharged from the hospital.
WHO has gathered experts to review possible treatments and vaccines. For confirmed cases, WHO has prioritised three candidate therapeutics for clinical trials: the monoclonal antibodies MBP 134 and maftivimab, along with the antiviral remdesivir.
For prevention, WHO has prioritised the oral antiviral obeldesivir within a clinical study as a post-exposure measure for people who have been in contact with confirmed cases. WHO also identified two candidate vaccines for evaluation once doses become available.
Legand said the outbreak was unfolding in a complex environment. In Ituri province alone, 1.2 million people require humanitarian assistance, while conflict and food insecurity are constraining the response. Legand said the main challenge in the field was access rather than resources.
Bunia airport in Ituri province has been closed, although the DRC Government has allowed humanitarian flights to continue.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in the DRC on Friday and called for a ceasefire by armed groups operating in the east to allow health workers to reach affected communities.
As of Thursday, the WHO said 125 confirmed cases, including 17 deaths, had been reported across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. In Uganda, seven confirmed cases, including one death, had been recorded, with no evidence of community transmission. WHO does not currently recommend restrictions on travel or trade with either country.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
