The Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda are facing conditions ripe for a major Ebola outbreak, according to tropical medicine expert Laurens Liesenborghs.
Liesenborghs, affiliated with the Institute of Tropical Medicine, is preparing to travel to the affected region in the coming days. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the situation an international emergency over the weekend.
The expert identifies four factors contributing to the rapid spread of the virus. First, the outbreak is centred in an urban area rather than a rural one. Second, the virus went undetected for a relatively long time compared to previous outbreaks.
Thirdly, a new variant of the virus is involved, which current diagnostic tools struggle to detect effectively. Finally, the outbreak is unfolding in a conflict-ridden region, complicating containment efforts.
These combined elements are accelerating the spread, according to Liesenborghs. “We were surprised by how quickly the situation developed,” he said. “New information is emerging rapidly. The first positive cases were confirmed only last Friday, but the epidemic likely began earlier and has spread further than initially anticipated.”
