More than 3,400 infections have been recorded in an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or treatment and is killing patients faster than previous outbreaks.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
An Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has killed more than 1,500 people and is spreading at a faster recorded pace than any previous outbreak of the disease, according to official figures released Thursday.
The number of fatalities rose approximately 50% in about one week, underscoring the difficulty health authorities have faced in slowing transmission despite efforts to contain the virus, according to an Associated Press report.
As of Tuesday, officials had recorded 3,442 cases and 1,521 deaths. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global health emergency in May as infections and fatalities continued increasing.
The outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. The absence of proven medical countermeasures has complicated the response and contributed to the high death toll.
“It has also killed more people at a quicker rate than any previous outbreak, including the 2014-2016 outbreak that was considered the worst on record with over 11,000 deaths out of at least 28,000 cases,” the Associated Press reported.
“That outbreak took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.”
Ebola was first identified in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Scientists believe the virus originated in animals, with bats considered a likely natural reservoir.
Although Ebola infections are relatively rare, the virus is highly contagious through direct contact with bodily fluids, including blood, vomit and semen. Transmission can occur while caring for an infected person or handling the body of someone who died from the disease.
Early symptoms commonly include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat. As the disease progresses, patients may develop vomiting, diarrhea, a rash and internal or external bleeding.
The rapid increase in cases has placed growing pressure on medical facilities and response teams in eastern Congo, where isolation, contact tracing, safe burials and public cooperation are essential to stopping transmission.
British scientists are urgently developing an experimental vaccine intended to target the Bundibugyo strain. The vaccine uses technology similar to that employed in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Researchers hope the candidate can provide another tool for containing the outbreak, but no Bundibugyo-specific vaccine has yet received approval. Until an effective vaccine or treatment becomes available, health officials must continue relying primarily on infection control, rapid diagnosis, isolation and monitoring of people exposed to confirmed cases.
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