May 25, New Delhi: More than 900 suspected Ebola cases, including 101 confirmed cases, have been identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A day earlier the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundi-bugyo strain a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO says late detection, the absence of a vaccine or virus specific therapeutics, widespread armed violence and high mobility among the population make Congo vulnerable.
Authorities in eastern Congo have stepped up Ebola screenings near Bunia as the rare Bundi-bugyo strain spreads into Uganda.Travellers on the route are undergoing temperature checks and hand washing, with officials calling Mongbwalu the epicentre of the outbreak.
Health experts warn the situation is critical as the Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine.The outhbreak has killed more than 200 people and spread into neighbouring Uganda.
Fear and misinformation are fueling the Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC, with many in Mongbwalu dismissing the virus as a mystical illness.
