There are now 359 confirmed cases of Ebola in the latest outbreak involving the Bundibugyo variant, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Out of these cases, 344 have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and 15 in Uganda. There are also 116 suspected cases, a sharp reduction from the 906 reported earlier.
So far, 61 confirmed deaths have resulted from the outbreak.
The WHO Director-General recently returned from a visit to the affected areas, including the epicentre in the northeastern region of Ituri, where he identified several challenges in controlling the outbreak.
He pointed out that general travel restrictions imposed by some countries are disrupting supply chains and hindering containment efforts. “We urge countries with general travel restrictions to lift them,” he said.
The WHO has recommended departure screening at airports, seaports, and border crossings to prevent infected individuals or their contacts from leaving affected areas.
Other challenges include limited testing capacity and insufficient contact-tracing efforts.
The absence of an approved vaccine or treatment further complicates containment.
Despite the difficulties, Tedros remains optimistic. “It’s not a question of if we can contain the outbreak, but when,” he said.
