CONGO: The fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has created a situation described as “deeply alarming” by the medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
MSF deputy director Dr Alan Gonzales said, just two weeks after the outbreak was declared, that the number of cases emerging in such a short time is unprecedented.
His remarks came during a visit by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to Ituri province in eastern DRC, the centre of the outbreak, where efforts are underway to contain the virus.
Authorities have reported more than 1,000 suspected Ebola cases and at least 246 deaths in the DRC. In neighbouring Uganda, nine confirmed cases and one death have also been recorded.
Dr Gonzales said the outbreak is escalating faster than the response on the ground, warning that health teams are struggling to keep up.
He added that the real scale of the outbreak is still uncertain, as new suspected cases continue to emerge daily while many samples remain untested.
According to him, containment efforts are being slowed by major logistical challenges, including restrictions at borders and airports that are delaying medical supplies and humanitarian support.
The WHO has also repeatedly warned that ongoing conflict in eastern DRC is further complicating efforts to control the spread of the disease.
(Inputs from BBC)
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