Africa CDC Reports Ebola Cases Surpass 11,000 as Six-Month Outbreak Strains Congo’s Health System

Confirmed Ebola cases have surpassed 11,000 six months after the Bundibugyo outbreak was declared, with the death toll continuing to climb and response efforts hampered by insecurity and gaps in contact tracing, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Latest Africa CDC data showed the multi-country outbreak had reached 11,145 confirmed cases and 5,437 deaths, a case fatality rate of 48.8 percent, while 3,058 patients had recovered.

The vast majority of cases and deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicentre of the outbreak.

Wessam Mankoula, an Africa CDC official, said progress had been made but significant challenges remained.

“As we mark six months since the beginning of this outbreak, while we are having some progress, the past six months have showed that we are still facing challenges. Most of those challenges are concentrated in the epicenter of this outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he said.

Mankoula identified climbing community cases and deaths, insecurity, and infections and deaths among healthcare workers as critical constraints in the DRC.

Only about 11 percent of new cases were linked to known contacts, against a standard target of 95 percent, with gaps in contact listing and tracing constituting a major operational constraint compounded by insecurity.

Africa CDC also warned the outbreak was adding strain to the DRC’s health system, already stretched by conflict, displacement and disease emergencies.

Community deaths remained high, with 63 percent of deaths occurring outside healthcare settings, underscoring challenges in early case detection.

Despite the difficulties, Mankoula highlighted positive progress in Kenya and Nigeria. Kenya, which reported its first imported case on October 6, recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths, with no new cases since October 19.

Kenyan health authorities announced the discharge of the country’s last Ebola patient and the release of the final 11 contacts after completing their 21-day monitoring period.

In Nigeria, of the 62 contacts identified, 59 had completed monitoring and been discharged, while the remaining three were undergoing mandatory monitoring.

Ten other African nations have been designated as high-risk, including South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, the Central African Republic, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, the Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Somalia.

Africa CDC declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of continental security on May 18, one day after the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency of international concern.

No approved vaccines or treatments currently exist for the Bundibugyo strain, though clinical trials with the Ervebo vaccine, which has proved effective against the more common Zaire strain, are underway.