2,325 dead: Congo confirms current Ebola outbreak is the deadliest in the country's history

The epidemic is becoming the deadliest in Congo's history: the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused the deaths of 2,325 people, according to government data published on Sunday. The number of deaths exceeds the toll from the 2018-2020 outbreak, making it the deadliest in the country's history.

The Public Health Institute of Congo stated in its latest report that the number of confirmed cases has risen to 4,945, including 101 new cases discovered in the last 24 hours, according to a Reuters report.

As recalled, Chikwe Ihekweazu, head of the World Health Organization's emergency program, said last July that four out of five new patients in certain areas do not appear on the contact lists of patients already identified. This means that many chains of transmission are not identified in time, and a significant portion of patients die outside treatment centers without being tested or included in the official count. Health officials fear that the outbreak spread for weeks before it was identified, after initial tests looked for a more common strain of Ebola.

The outbreak, which was declared on May 15, was initially focused in the Ituri province in the east of the country, but has also spread to the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. This week, cases were also confirmed in Tshopo and Bas-Uele. The capital of Tshopo, Kisangani, is one of the largest cities in Congo, while Bas-Uele borders South Sudan and the Central African Republic, a fact that increases the fear of regional spread. This is the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or proven dedicated treatment. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected person or animal and can cause high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding. The World Health Organization has begun a clinical trial of the drugs Remdesivir and MBP134, but warned that it may take months and hundreds of participants to determine if they are effective.

Containment efforts are being hampered by a severe shortage of resources. The World Health Organization has so far received only about 40 percent of the 115 million dollars it requested to fight the outbreak. At the same time, health workers at one of the treatment centers in Ituri have gone on strike due to non-payment of wages and bonuses. The armed conflict in eastern Congo, poor infrastructure, extensive population movement, and lack of trust in the authorities also make it difficult to locate and isolate patients. Ihekweazu called on donor countries to continue providing assistance, emphasizing that Congo cannot bear the burden alone.

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the spread of the Ebola epidemic worldwide, the Ministry of Health updated last week that an initial report was received about a person suspected of having Ebola after returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The person, who returned to Israel a few days ago, sought medical treatment after developing a fever. The necessary tests were conducted and he was treated at Soroka in isolation conditions in accordance with professional procedures. At the same time, an epidemiological investigation was conducted.

Three days later, the Ministry of Health updated that following the tests performed, negative results were received for Ebola. The Ministry of Health emphasizes that as of now, no confirmed case of Ebola has been diagnosed in Israel.

"Ebola is not transmitted through the air, and infection occurs through direct contact with a sick person who has symptoms or with blood, body fluids, or secretions," it was stated. "The Ministry of Health continues to monitor the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda on an ongoing basis, and is maintaining systemic preparation to ensure the best readiness of the health system for any possible scenario."

The Ministry of Health reiterates its call to the public to avoid non-essential travel to areas where there is active Ebola morbidity, primarily the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. In case of travel to these areas, it is recommended to receive preliminary individual advice at a travel clinic, in accordance with the guidelines on the Ministry of Health's website.

Travelers who have returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda, and especially from areas where there is active morbidity, and who develop a fever or unusual symptoms within 21 days from the date of return, are asked to stay at home, avoid contact with others, and contact the Ministry of Health's Kol HaBriut hotline by phone at *5400. It is important to update already during the call that they were in an area where there is Ebola morbidity. The Ministry of Health reiterates that as of now, this is only a suspicion. The Ministry will continue to update the public and medical staff as needed.