While the whole world is still trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization announced that an outbreak of Ebola has taken dozens of lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the WHO, 100 people have been infected with Ebola in the city of Mbandaka. Out of the 100, 43 died of the disease.
Ebola outbreak in remote places
The outbreak in Congo was declared in June plaguing the city which is home to about 1 million people. It came just as the city rejoiced the end of a previous Ebola outbreak, a strain which is genetically distinct.
The outbreak lasted for two years and more than 2,200 people died. The previous outbreak was the worst Ebola epidemic that Congo has ever seen.
The outbreak has spread to several remote villages in the province of Equateur. The province is connected to the capital by the Congo River and is located in a remote area in the east and north of Kinshasa.
However, the location of the province proved to be a challenge as it is surrounded by around 200 miles of jungle, thus the affected villages are difficult to reach, The Hill reported.
Moreover, the WHO stated that based on the data that they have gathered, 11 health zones have been affected by the outbreak and the pace of the spread has been relatively consistent.
To fight the outbreak, the WHO has already committed $2.3 million, however, the health ministry of Congo stated that at least $40 million is needed to get the outbreak under control. But the WHO has stated that funding to stop Ebola has recently been scare as the world is still battling against the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement by the regional director of WHO in Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, since the virus is spreading through a wide and rugged terrain a lot of money is needed to implement interventions.
Mass vaccination to prevent possible pandemic
In the past, during Ebola outbreaks, a ring vaccination strategy has been implemented by the WHO. In this strategy, those people who come in contact with the infected individuals are vaccinated. As of today, at least 22,600 people have been vaccinated.
However, even with the dramatic boost on survival rates caused by vaccines, many have not been reached because the response in some areas controlled by armed groups has been hampered.
Meanwhile, amid the outbreak, healthcare workers and responders in Mbandaka went on strike last week. The medical professionals protested over their low pay scales and unpaid salaries by blocking access to medical and testing laboratories. The strike only ended after the government agreed to look into their claims on Monday.
According to NBC News, the outbreak that the country is facing at the moment has been of great concern since the city of Mbandaka is one of the significant points in the Congo River. Thus, it is connected to many other cities and provinces, and health officials fear that the virus may cross the borders.
If the virus crosses and reaches even one of the cities connected to Mbandaka through the river, an urban outbreak may happen.
Moeti also emphasized in his statement that Ebola should also be prioritized as COVID-19 is not the only health emergency that the world should be focused on.
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