Nearly 500 cases of Ebola virus infection have been confirmed in Central Africa so far, amid growing concern about the spread of the hemorrhagic fever epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest report on Saturday.
In its daily report, the WHO talks about 452 confirmed cases, including 82 deaths, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), where the epidemic was declared three weeks ago, reports News.ro. In the neighboring country, Uganda, the WHO also recorded 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths.
The total number of 471 cases and 84 deaths represents an increase of 100 cases and 20 deaths compared to the previous day.
The rise comes amid mounting warnings that the current outbreak, which the WHO has labeled a public health emergency of international concern, could rival the record-breaking 2014/16 outbreak that killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa.
In the absence of strong public health measures, “this level is possible,” said Jason Asher, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC, the main US health agency), department of epidemic forecasting and analysis.
“We must stop the epidemic where it is”
The Ebola virus, which is transmitted through direct contact and bodily fluids, has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.
The current outbreak was declared on May 15 in northeastern DR Congo, but the virus is believed to have been secretly spreading for some time.
There is no vaccine and no approved treatment against the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus that has caused the current epidemic.
The WHO and the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday launched a plan worth $518 million (446 million euros) to fight the epidemic over the next six months, with particular emphasis on strengthening surveillance, laboratory tests and infection prevention.
“The epidemic is advancing rapidly and we are still running after it,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Friday.
“We need to stop the epidemic where it is, support countries that are taking action now and ensure that neighboring countries are prepared to detect and act quickly if cases do arise,” he added. “It's a serious epidemic and we know how to keep it under control, but we have to act quickly and together.”
