Congo’s Ebola outbreak tops 10,000 cases as authorities race to slow the spread in African countries

It has spread farther across Africa than any previous Ebola outbreak, reaching three regions with cases recorded in Kenya and Nigeria as well. It’s so far been recorded in five countries including Uganda and France, both of which have no active cases at the moment.

A recurring problem in the spread in Africa is what appears to be lax surveillance efforts as most of the first cases were confirmed long after people started showing symptoms or after traveling.

African health ministers are to hold a virtual summit on Wednesday to strengthen the continent’s collective response. “Ebola is crossing borders. Our response must move faster, with stronger coordination, greater solidarity and decisive political leadership,” Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of Africa CDC, has said.

At least 2,600 patients have recovered from the disease in Congo, bringing rare moments of joy to affected communities. A viral video this week showed health workers in full protective gear dancing as the last two patients were discharged from a treatment center in Mongbwalu, Ituri province.

“The outbreak is far from over, but every life saved is worth celebrating,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said of the video.

80% of new cases in Congo are outside of monitored contacts

In Congo, the disease has spread to 66 health zones across eight provinces, from three zones when it was first declared in May. Responders have told The Associated Press that they’re seeing treatment centers in some of those health zones getting overwhelmed, people still skeptical and violent toward them, and health workers are regularly going on strike to protest delayed or unpaid wages.

“Some people still don’t seem to understand the seriousness of the situation even though they are directly exposed to the risk,” said Sephora Bgosi with the Ebola burial team in Ituri province, the epicenter. “Ebola disease is extremely dangerous and can be deadly,” said Bgosi.

About 80% of recorded cases are still coming from outside of monitored contacts, showing there are ongoing chains of transmission that health authorities are not aware of. At least 95% of recorded cases are supposed to be coming from known contacts for officials to say the outbreak has largely been brought under control, the Africa CDC has said.

At least half of deaths recorded are among people who have not been admitted to treatment centers, a sign that people are still not reporting symptoms at all in many areas.

In many zones, health workers are battling challenges ranging from basic needs such as adequate vehicles to complex ones like persuading families to release their relatives who are sick with the disease or who have died from it and need to be buried safely.

Last week at the Nia Nia health zone in Ituri province, some Ebola responders, including surveillance and community engagement officers, went on strike over unpaid bonuses owed since late August, a common trend across many affected localities.

More than five months since the outbreak was declared, health workers are still being attacked by angry villagers, including on Saturday when a nurse was killed and another health worker severely injured while responding to an Ebola alert in Bafwasende, Tshopo province.

The outbreak is impacting Congo’s healthcare services

The outbreak has disrupted essential health services that are already underfunded and overstretched and has shifted attention away from other disease outbreaks the country is battling, such as cholera.

More pregnant women are dying as they avoid hospitals over fear of infection and isolation, causing maternal mortality to double in some provinces soon after the outbreak was declared.

It has also disrupted routine healthcare services such as childhood vaccinations, interrupted schooling for children where millions are already out of school, caused trauma and stigma for affected families and further stretched the livelihoods of many already struggling with hardship.

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Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.

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The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Chinedu Asadu And Constant Same Bagalwa, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Congo’s Ebola outbreak tops 10,000 cases as authorities race to slow the spread in African countries

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