Congo’s health ministry says the country’s Ebola outbreak has reached at least 282 confirmed cases, while recovered health workers are urging early care as officials work to contain the Bundibugyo virus.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Congo’s ongoing Ebola outbreak has grown to at least 282 confirmed cases, with most infections concentrated in the country’s eastern Ituri province, health officials said late Sunday.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, a rare species of Ebola for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, according to the Associated Press. Congo’s Ministry of Health said 264 confirmed cases have been recorded in Ituri province, while more than 1,000 suspected cases have been reported nationwide.
Officials said response teams are facing several challenges, including the need for faster detection, rapid isolation of infected patients, thorough contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, and stronger infection prevention measures inside health facilities.
The health ministry said contact tracing coverage has reached 45%, with 220 suspected cases still under investigation.
Amid the outbreak, several recovered patients described their experiences after surviving the disease. Five people have recovered so far, and the World Health Organization said all five are health workers. The group includes four nurses and a laboratory worker, reflecting the heavy toll the outbreak has taken on medical staff.
Baraka Bulambulu, a nurse, said he was relieved after repeated tests showed he had cleared the virus. He said his first Ebola test came back positive, followed by two negative results.
“The first one came back positive, but the second and third were negative for me,” Bulambulu said with a wide grin. “Coming out of this illness alive is an indescribable joy.”
Bulambulu was among the survivors who received certificates of recovery from World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday as Tedros opened a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province.
Another recovered nurse, Ezo Étienne, said his symptoms began while he was conducting hospital rounds.
“That was how it started,” Étienne said. “I called the team and told them, ‘Something’s wrong here.’ I checked my blood pressure and saw that I was immediately experiencing hypotension (low blood pressure). I decided to rest for a bit, and a few minutes later I started vomiting.”
The WHO has said treatments during the outbreak have largely focused on managing symptoms because there is no approved treatment for the Bundibugyo virus.
Tedros told the recovered health workers that their survival carried an important message for others in the outbreak zone.
“Your courage gives hope and your living story, that this outbreak can be stopped,” Tedros said.
Uganda, which borders Congo, has reported nine Ebola cases and closed its border with Congo in an effort to limit transmission.
Congo and Uganda have experienced more than 20 Ebola outbreaks, but Bundibugyo virus outbreaks have been uncommon. Officials said the current response has been complicated by the lack of approved medical countermeasures, remote affected areas and armed violence in outbreak hot spots.
Dr. Dieudonne Mwamba Kazadi, director-general of Congo’s National Institute of Public Health, said the recoveries show that patients can survive when they receive timely care.
Despite the difficult conditions, the recoveries are “a victory worth celebrating,” Kazadi said.
“It’s a strong message that it is possible to recover from Ebola when seeking care early in a dedicated health facility,” he added.
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