Ebola Death Toll in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Tops 200 as WHO Raises Risk Level to 'Very High'

\r\n[Financial News] The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is entering a stage that threatens disease-control efforts. With the death toll surpassing 200 and contact tracing becoming more difficult because of attacks on medical facilities and population movement, health authorities fear the actual scale of the spread may be far larger than official figures suggest.
According to AP and AFP on the 24th, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ministry of Public Health reported 867 suspected cases and 204 deaths linked to the latest Ebola cluster as of the previous day. There were 91 confirmed cases, and 10 of the deaths were among patients who tested positive for Ebola virus disease.
The outbreak is centered in Ituri Province, North Kivu Province, and South Kivu Province in the northeast. The World Health Organization said on the 22nd that there had been 177 suspected deaths, but the figure rose by 27 in just one day, indicating that the spread is moving faster than expected.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned that the outbreak could spread beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo's borders. In addition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, 10 neighboring countries are considered at risk: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Republic of Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia. Africa CDC said the risk is rising because population movement is active and security remains unstable in some areas.
In Uganda, tensions are also rising as additional confirmed cases have emerged. The Ugandan Ministry of Health said three new cases were recently confirmed, bringing the cumulative total to five. Notably, two of the new patients are Ugandan nationals, marking the first locally transmitted infections confirmed since the outbreak began.
One is a driver who transported the first confirmed patient from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while the other is a health worker. Another confirmed case is a woman from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who traveled to Kampala, the Ugandan capital, for treatment.
In response, WHO raised the Ebola risk level in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 'high' to 'very high.' WHO said transmission within communities is continuing and that surveillance and response systems are not functioning smoothly in some areas.
WHO and Africa CDC said the actual number of infections could be far higher than official statistics indicate, given the current number of suspected cases and the initial positive test rate. International health authorities urged swift global support and coordination, saying this is a critical moment to prevent a large-scale community outbreak.
Meanwhile, countries are tightening quarantine and border controls as concerns grow over the spread of Ebola virus disease. The United States of America (USA) has expanded the list of airports subject to intensive Ebola screening and recently strengthened entry procedures for travelers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Burkina Faso are also stepping up monitoring of arrivals and border surveillance. International health agencies warned that the actual scale of infections may be much larger than official counts, citing the rise in suspected cases and the high test positivity rate.
wonder@fnnews.com Jeong Sang-hee Reporter