Ebola outbreak in Uganda is over, as cases rise in Congo: WHO

WEB DESK: The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in Uganda is over but it is not under control in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, a World Health Organization official told a briefing on Wednesday.

The all-clear for Uganda follows a declaration on July 28 from the Ugandan government that it was free of the disease, which caused 20 cases and two deaths in the country.

The WHO monitored the situation until this week to ensure that no chains of transmission had been missed.

But Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire, director of emergency preparedness for the WHO African region, told a WHO regional meeting that cases in Democratic Republic of Congo continued to rise despite some progress. The outbreak there is the second-deadliest in history, and outpacing containment efforts.

According to the Congolese government, as of Tuesday there have been more than 2,700 deaths and more than 5,600 cases.

“Transmission remains very active,” said Belizaire. “We have slowed the acceleration, but we have not yet bent this curve.”

She said there are improvements in contact tracing and testing, and also that analyses of the Bundibugyo virus have not shown any signs of mutation despite the rapid spread.

While she described that as good news, she also flagged an immediate $30 million funding gap for logistical operations to deliver medical and personal protective equipment in the worst-hit areas of Congo.

“Without this immediate investment, we risk stalling the momentum we have built,” she said.