The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is still spreading but appears to be showing “encouraging” signs of improvement, the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
“We are starting to see encouraging signs that we’re gaining ground,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva.
Since the DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak in mid-May, more than 3,500 deaths have been recorded from over 7,200 cases to date across seven northern and eastern provinces plagued by widespread insecurity and a litany of armed groups.
Ebola, which is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe internal and external bleeding and organ failure, has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the last 50 years.
Tedros said that transmission was declining in the worst-affected areas of Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, while South Kivu has not reported any new cases since May.
“Trials of treatments and post-exposure prophylaxis are picking up speed, due to increased community engagement,” he added.
“Vaccine trials should begin in the coming weeks,” Tedros said, while warning against complacency. “Make no mistake: the epidemic continues to grow and continues to kill,” he said.
“We still have many, many months ahead of us,” added Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemic and pandemic management at the UN health agency.
AFP