Nearly 300 people who tested positive for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remain unaccounted for, Africa’s top public health official announced on Thursday. Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), expressed deep concern over the missing patients, stating that the humanitarian crisis in conflict-affected areas has left over 1 million people living in camps inaccessible to health workers.
Current Outbreak Figures and Projections
As of now, the DRC has reported 1,118 confirmed Ebola cases and 291 deaths, while neighboring Uganda has 20 cases and two deaths. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, is the largest on record five weeks after declaration. For comparison, the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak had 239 cases and 160 deaths at the same stage. The World Health Organization (WHO) Africa regional office published projections in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, predicting approximately 8,210 cases and 1,420 deaths by mid-September under a central transmissibility scenario. The worst-case scenario could see 66,000 confirmed cases by September.
Concerns Over Missing Patients
“This is a concern that we have. Where are these people?” Kaseya asked, noting that 297 patients are unaccounted for based on recovery, treatment, and death figures. He emphasized that 30% of new cases are among known contacts, indicating “huge, huge community transmission.” Bed occupancy in Ebola treatment centers is at 95%, and “we didn’t reach the peak yet,” he added.
Inaccessible Camps and Humanitarian Crisis
Kaseya highlighted that displaced persons camps “have cases, and because we don’t have access to these camps, we cannot have the contact tracing. We cannot have a photo of what’s happening there. We cannot stop this outbreak without resolving the humanitarian issue.” Authorities plan to recruit 20,000 community health workers from local areas to boost contact tracing. The DRC also announced that anyone who had been in affected provinces must wait 21 days before traveling onward.
Funding and Treatment Efforts
Africa CDC and WHO earlier estimated $518 million in health spending needed to tackle the outbreak, rising to $1.4 billion when humanitarian needs are included. However, only about 13% of $910 million pledged by international governments and organizations has been received. The first trial of drugs targeting the Bundibugyo virus is set to begin in the DRC next week, followed by a trial of an antiviral given to contacts to prevent disease development.
International Spread Risk
Modelling suggests a 70% chance of the outbreak spreading to South Sudan in the coming weeks. France also reported a doctor who worked in the DRC tested positive upon return, with medical NGO Alima investigating how contamination occurred.
