Health officials working to contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo say their contact tracing efforts are making progress but remain significantly below necessary levels, the World Health Organization reported Tuesday.
The latest WHO data shows 550 confirmed Ebola cases with 101 fatalities, plus an additional 94 suspected cases.
Health authorities first declared the outbreak on May 15, though officials now acknowledge the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola had been spreading undetected for several weeks, making containment more challenging.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva from Bunia in the DRC, Dr Abdi Mahamud from the WHO explained the current situation. “We have reached 62% of contacts, but our target is 90-95%,” he stated.
“It is slow steady progress, but we have not reached where we want to be,” Dr Mahamud continued, emphasizing how crucial it is for healthcare workers to establish community trust to properly identify cases, make referrals, and conduct contact tracing.
“With the ramp up of contact tracing and community workers, we hope to achieve that target in the coming weeks,” he added.
Response efforts have faced significant obstacles from community distrust and opposition, including violent incidents targeting burial teams and treatment facilities.
The most recent violence occurred Sunday when attackers targeted a burial team at the Nyamurongo cemetery in Bunia, leaving two people with serious injuries and damaging two vehicles, according to a source with knowledge of the government’s response.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released additional data Tuesday showing contact tracing success varies dramatically by location, reaching 78% in Bunia while achieving 0% coverage in certain health zones.
