More than 2,500 individuals have lost their lives in the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is rapidly spreading across an area larger than France, as confirmed by senior United Nations Ebola coordinator Julien Harneis on Friday. Harneis, speaking from Bunia in northeastern Congo via video call, emphasized the urgent need for additional assistance due to the imminent depletion of existing funds.
In a separate development, a batch of a vaccine designed for a different strain of Ebola has been dispatched for advanced testing in the D.R.C. The country had requested these doses from the global Ebola vaccine stockpile last week. The vaccine, known as Ervebo, is currently approved for preventing the Zaire Ebola virus strain. However, out of the allocated 70,000 shots, 20,000 will be utilized in a late-phase trial to assess its efficacy against the current Bundibugyo virus strain.
The escalating death toll coincides with the recent surge in the 17th Ebola outbreak in the D.R.C., marking the most extensive in the country’s history in terms of case numbers, surpassing the previous crisis from 2018 to 2020. The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccines or treatments are available.
Harneis expressed grave concerns about the rapid spread of the Ebola epidemic, noting the challenges posed by the vast affected area, the overwhelmed response efforts, and the long-standing humanitarian crises in the region. He highlighted that over 160 healthcare workers have contracted Ebola, with 43 fatalities among them.
Furthermore, Harneis mentioned incidents of violence against healthcare workers and facilities by local residents, driven by fear and misinformation. These attacks have hindered the Ebola response efforts and jeopardized the safety of frontline workers. Concerns were also raised about the impact of aid cuts on humanitarian organizations and the difficulties in disbursing payments to the numerous personnel involved in combating the outbreak due to disruptions in banking services caused by flight restrictions.
Local communities have been influenced by conspiracy theories regarding the authenticity of the outbreak, resulting in hostile reactions to health measures, especially regarding burial practices. Harneis highlighted the alarming rate of attacks on healthcare workers in recent months, with eight fatalities recorded, emphasizing the risks faced by those combating the Ebola crisis.
