A physician in an area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) held by rebel forces and difficult for responders to access has contracted Ebola, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said today in a worrisome development.
According to the DRC's ministry of health yesterday, Ebola case counts held steady from the previous day, at 103 (76 confirmed). Two more people have perished from the virus, bringing the death toll to 63, and the number of suspected cases has jumped to 13.
Early today Peter Salama, MD, the WHO's deputy director-general for emergency preparedness and response, said in a telebriefing that the outbreak, which began on Aug 1 in North Kivu province, is in one of the most dangerous places in the DRC. He explained that North Kivu is a United Nations (UN) security area "stage 4"; stage 5 requires UN evacuation.
"More than 80% of cases are in and around Mangina. If we look within 20 to 30 kilometer radius we see the overwhelming majority of cases occurring there," Salama said. "We know that radius contains an accessible population."
This is the tenth outbreak in DRC since 1976, and the current outbreak is now in six distinct locations along the country's eastern border.
Cases in Oicha prove challenging
Salama said the case involving the physician was confirmed earlier this week in Oicha, a town 30 kilometers east of Beni, adding that there are as many as two more suspected cases in that town. The index case was likely a physician who traveled to Oicha from Beni and may have infected his wife, Salama said.
The road to Oicha is in a red zone. According to Reuters, Oicha is almost entirely surrounded by ADF Ugandan Islamist militia.
"This is the problem we were anticipating and dreading," Salama said. He said a health team has reached Oicha with armed experts.
So far, a total of 14 healthcare workers have been infected during this outbreak, 1 of them fatally.
About 500 healthcare workers have been vaccinated against Ebola, as have 600 children, Salama said. A total of f 2,613 people have now been vaccinated in 21 rings around the 40 most recently confirmed cases.
Salama also provided more details on the use of therapeutics in this outbreak. Thirteen patients have been given the experimental monoclonal antibody treatment mAb114, with positive results, and one patient has been started on remdesivir. More patients are expected to be given remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug, in the next 2 days.
Finally, Salama recounted the details of angry youths who burned down a health center in the village of Manbangu after they learned of a local death from Ebola. He said community outreach has been strengthened in that village and vaccinations have resumed.
See also:
Aug 24 WHO telebriefing
Aug 23 DRC update
Aug 24 Reuters story
