Nairobi,July 9, (dpa/GNA) – The number of confirmed cases of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has risen by 25% within a week, the African Union’s public health agency reported on Thursday.
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the number of cases is rising more rapidly in the current outbreak than in previous outbreaks. The Congolese government has reported 1,759 laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease and 600 fatalities.
Capacity for treating Ebola patients is running short, with 95% of beds occupied. “We have to increase the number of hospital beds available by around 50% without delay,” Africa CDC infections specialist Wessam Mankoula said. He noted at the same time that control of the disease was possible, pointing to the example of neighbouring Uganda.
Uganda has seen 20 cases, but only one patient is still being treated. Two people have died in the country. Time remains a critical factor.
According to Africa CDC, health authorities receive information in more than half the cases only 72 hours after the initial Ebola symptoms become apparent. There are also delays in taking and transporting specimens. Africa CDC said one positive sign was that, a capacity of 2,000 Ebola tests per day had now been reached in Congo, although with regional differences.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo variant, which has proved difficult to contain due to the absence of a vaccine or specific treatment.
However, two antiviral therapies have recently entered clinical testing and have been undergoing evaluation since last week.
GNA