Fear has gripped Ebola-hit areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the suspected number of deaths continues to rise, as officials say they are struggling to catch up to an outbreak that may have previously been spreading undetected. Ebola has tortured us, says a taxi rider in his late twenties in the gold-mining town of Rwampara. I am scared because people are dying very fast... We are really afraid.
Following a visit to Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, over the weekend, Congolese Health Minister Dr Samuel Roger Kamba acknowledged health teams are playing catch-up with the virus, which may have been circulating earlier than first detected on April 24. The presumed patient zero is a nurse who died in Bunia but was buried in Mongwalu, where most of the suspected cases and deaths have been reported.
As of Tuesday, there were 514 suspected cases, with 136 people believed to have died, and cases identified in Butembo, rebel-controlled Goma, and South Kivu province as well. Community alerts began only after May 8, leaving many cases unreported initially, raising concerns about the virus spreading silently.
The outbreak has been caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, distinct from the more familiar Zaïre species seen in previous outbreaks. Symptoms can be less visible, complicating timely detection. The international charity Save the Children has warned that this outbreak is a new massive crisis on top of an already difficult situation in a region filled with ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises.
The challenges are immense as public health measures struggle against the backdrop of severe socio-economic conditions, leading to a populace that finds it difficult to prioritize health and safety amidst daily survival.
Following a visit to Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, over the weekend, Congolese Health Minister Dr Samuel Roger Kamba acknowledged health teams are playing catch-up with the virus, which may have been circulating earlier than first detected on April 24. The presumed patient zero is a nurse who died in Bunia but was buried in Mongwalu, where most of the suspected cases and deaths have been reported.
As of Tuesday, there were 514 suspected cases, with 136 people believed to have died, and cases identified in Butembo, rebel-controlled Goma, and South Kivu province as well. Community alerts began only after May 8, leaving many cases unreported initially, raising concerns about the virus spreading silently.
The outbreak has been caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, distinct from the more familiar Zaïre species seen in previous outbreaks. Symptoms can be less visible, complicating timely detection. The international charity Save the Children has warned that this outbreak is a new massive crisis on top of an already difficult situation in a region filled with ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises.
The challenges are immense as public health measures struggle against the backdrop of severe socio-economic conditions, leading to a populace that finds it difficult to prioritize health and safety amidst daily survival.
