DRC suffering worst Ebola outbreak in history
Fight against the deadly disease complicated by ongoing conflict and vaccine fears
The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the most severe in the country’s history, according to the government.
Roughly 200 people have died and more than 300 have been infected by the highly contagious virus, the health ministry announced on Friday.
This is the 10th Ebola outbreak the war-ravaged country has suffered in the past four decades.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“No other epidemic in the world has been as complex as the one we are currently experiencing,” said Health Minister Oly Ilunga.
He added: “In view of these figures, my thoughts and my prayers go to the hundreds of families grieving, to the hundreds of orphans and the families which have been wiped out.”
Efforts to contain the outbreak, which is centred in the conflict-hit North Kivu region, have been hampered by militia attacks on medical teams.
North Kivu is “awash with violence and insecurity, particularly in the mineral-rich borderlands where militia activity has surged in the past year, all of which complicates the response to the outbreak,” ABC News reports.
There is no known cure for Ebola, which kills between 25% and 90% of its victims.
A vaccination programme has so far inoculated about 25,000 people in the DRC, but health professionals warn that suspicion of the new vaccine is widespread.
“Lots of people reject the vaccine and they talk a lot about it,” Dr Maneno Muhindangabo Henry told Sky News. “They say if you take it you will become infertile, it will kill you, it has bad effects.”
The head of World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said health workers have never had to deal with such a complicated epidemic.
“The situation with this outbreak is very different from other outbreaks,” he said. “Even the West Africa outbreak because there is a serious security problem here, an active army conflict and that complicates the situation.”
The UN agency has previously admitted that it was “too slow” to respond to the 2014-16 West African Ebola outbreak that killed more than 11,000 people across six countries.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 2, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - anti-fascism, early voter turnout, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published