BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Health officials report that no fewer than 100 individuals have lost their lives to Ebola in under four weeks since authorities announced the disease outbreak in Congo’s eastern region.
Violence directed at medical personnel by frustrated community members, distrust from certain local populations, and ongoing armed violence in affected areas continue to hamper efforts to contain the disease’s transmission.
According to Monday evening’s most recent status update, 550 confirmed disease cases have been documented through Sunday, resulting in 101 fatalities and 19 people who have recovered. Officials believe the actual case count exceeds these figures due to the delayed confirmation of the outbreak by several weeks, with response efforts further complicated by the absence of any authorized vaccine or therapeutic treatment for this virus strain.
This current Ebola disease emergency stems from the uncommon Bundibugyo virus strain, which lacks any sanctioned vaccine or medical treatment, unlike the Zaire virus strain that has been responsible for Congo’s previous 16 disease outbreaks.
