World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that five individuals have recovered from a rare form of Ebola, known as Bundibugyo virus. This development underscores the importance of seeking medical care for symptoms associated with the disease. Despite the lack of approved treatment or vaccine against the Bundibugyo virus, which is responsible for the current Ebola outbreak, Tedros emphasized that recovery remains possible.
At least 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths have been reported in Congo, according to the WHO. There are currently 134 confirmed cases with 18 deaths among these in Congo and Uganda. The virus continues to spread faster than the response efforts despite improved health facilities and new aid arrivals, Doctors Without Borders stated, calling for immediate expansion of testing, quicker deployment of aid workers, and sustained access to medical supplies.
The challenges faced by healthcare workers have been exacerbated by residents’ anger over stringent protocols for handling victims’ bodies, which clash with local burial rites. Residents have launched at least three attacks against health centers. Tedros stressed the importance of community involvement in the outbreak response during the opening of a new treatment center on Sunday.
“If you come to health facilities when you have symptoms, you can get the support and recover,” he said. “The key is to come forward as early as possible and to get the necessary support.”
Attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and ethnic militias in Ituri have also hindered response efforts. The illness has been reported in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group controls key cities, including Goma and Bukavu. Doctors at the treatment center expressed hope that symptomatic treatment would lead to patient recovery and that the outbreak could be brought under control with continued support from partners.