Despite high hopes that the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was finally coming to an end, it seems the recent administration push of the vaccine is no match for the deadly disease. Since the DRC’s second outbreak of the year in the city of Mangina in August, the epidemic has affected upwards of 600 people, with close to 400 deaths already reported by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). This marks the country’s tenth Ebola outbreak in the last 40 years and is now considered the second largest Ebola crisis in history, second to the West African epidemic from 2014-2016.
Although there is still no cure for the disease, there was a push for vaccination at the beginning of the year that has shown good results. However, the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, where the outbreaks are concentrated, are incredibly politically unstable and densely populated. In addition, the North Kivu region is close in proximity to multiple international borders. Coupled with community resistance to vaccination and political turbulence following the recent presidential election, this outbreak has been deemed by far the hardest to stop.
A medical assistant at a treatment center evaluates the health of a man in the DRC.
Image Source: Isaac Kasamani
While Mangina has had no new cases reported in months, the cities of Butembo, Kalenguta, and Katwa have all experienced an increased number of confirmed cases. According to John Johnson, the Medicines Sans Frontier (MSF) project coordinator in Butembo, new cases reported in these areas are being brought to Butembo, where the MSF and Ministry of Health run an Ebola treatment center. The MSF is also working to decontaminate health centers with previously confirmed patients, vaccinate health workers on the frontline, and increase professional health training and community awareness efforts. However, despite international efforts, the US government has maintained its September decision of keeping the nation‘s top Ebola experts from working at the outbreak’s epicenter due to concerns of danger.
Feature Image Source: natanaelginting – stock.adobe.com.
