Two new confirmed Ebola cases were recorded near the Congolese border with Uganda. Thus, the WHO just issued a warning that the risks of Ebola to spread beyond Congo is now “very high.” Also, the new Ebola outbreak in the northeastern Congo is harder to control than the previous ones because of the highly mobile population in the region and the presence of a rebel force that makes health workers feel like operating in a combat zone.
In the last report WHO released last Friday, the officials stated that, at that moment, there were 124 confirmed Ebola cases, including 71 deaths. Just a week before recording this new Ebola outbreak in northeastern Congo, the deadly virus caused 33 deaths out of 54 cases in the Equateur province of Congo.
However, this is the first time when Ebola affects the northeastern regions of Congo, especially the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri where rebel forces make any intervention challenging.
The risks of Ebola to spread beyond Congo is “very high,” WHO warns
Just recently, the deadly virus moved closer to the Uganda border as two new confirmed Ebola cases were recorded there. WHO warns that the Ebola outbreak can now easily cross the border to Uganda, which could lead to a bleak situation in that part of Africa.
“While substantial progress has been made, the situation is precarious,” said WHO, referring to the overall Ebola containment efforts.
Across the Congolese border, Uganda, which was hit by Ebola outbreak five times since 2000, is taking no risks and is already preparing the vaccines which would be immediately used if needed. On the other hand, in Congo, about 12,000 people got their vaccine against Ebola.
The risks of Ebola to spread beyond Congo is high also because about 200 people cross the border with Uganda leaving Congo which is now facing its 10th Ebola outbreak in the last 18 years.
