The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda has increased 38% in a single week and claimed more than 200 lives in its first month, the worst known outbreak at this stage with up to 35,000 suspected potential contacts, The Associated Press.
Here are five things to know:
- The outbreak is the worst on record at this stage. With 894 confirmed cases, the current outbreak is three times worse than a previous Bundibugyo outbreak in Uganda in 2000, which had 281 cases at the same point, according to the report. Cases now span 32 health zones across eastern Congo. This is only the third known Bundibugyo outbreak since the strain was first identified in 2007.
- Contact tracing is lagging. “For those 800 confirmed cases, we should have between 17,000 to 35,000 contacts that should be in our contact list,” Africa CDC epidemiologist Wessam Mankoula, MD, told the AP. Currently only around 4,000 contacts — less than 15% — have been tracked. “We are still far from controlling the situation of this outbreak,” he said. According to a June 18 news release from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak’s drivers include suboptimal contact tracing, rapid geographic expansion, high mobility linked to mining, insecurity and population displacement, and community mistrust.
- There is no approved vaccine or treatment for this strain. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus — distinct from the Zaire strain behind most of Congo’s previous outbreaks, for which a vaccine exists. According to the Africa CDC, 19 years after Bundibugyo was first identified, no licensed vaccine or therapeutic exists. Experimental monoclonal antibodies are in development and CEPI has funded three vaccine candidates.
- Funding and staffing gaps are severe. Of more than $900 million pledged to fight the outbreak, only $90 million has been released, according to the AP. The Africa CDC confirmed total pledges of $910 million — including $80 million from African member states — against a six-month joint response plan estimated at $518 million, and called for pledges to be converted into “rapidly disbursable resources.” The Africa CDC also estimates it needs 540 personnel on the ground but currently has 84, according to the AP.
- Violence against response teams is escalating. According to a June 17 report from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, an attack on a safe burial team was reported in Mongbwalu health zone in Ituri, and five workers have been taken hostage at points of entry after being falsely accused of spreading the disease. Three hospital attacks in a single week have been linked to misinformation on social media, slowing case investigations and limiting healthcare teams’ access to affected communities.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.