One hundred days after the World Health Organization declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the outbreak has become the second-largest ever recorded and is growing faster than any previous one.
Here is what to know about the current state of the outbreak.
1. Congo has reported 5,794 confirmed cases and 2,786 deaths across 60 health zones, with two new health zones being affected as of Aug. 28. The outbreak has reached 2,000 deaths three times faster than the worst Ebola outbreak on record in 2014-2016 and is on track to surpass that outbreak that killed 11,000 people, WHO said. Cases in the current outbreak have not peaked yet. This outbreak has an overall fatality rate of 48%, AP reported.
2. Among healthcare workers, 158 have been infected and 45 have died, WHO said.
3. The outbreak growth has been fueled by insecurity from decades of armed conflict that has undermined social services and displaced more than a million people, WHO said. To stop the spread, the response will need to increase two to three times current capacities across all pillars.
4. On Aug. 27, Congo began vaccinating health workers and other front-line staff against Ebola using the Ervebo vaccine, PBS reported. Ervebo vaccine is licensed and recommended for use in Zaire Ebola outbreaks, WHO said. More than 50,000 of the 70,000 doses have been received. About 50,000 doses will be used for front-line workers and the remaining 20,000 will be used in a clinical trial.
5. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations backed a fifth Bundibugyo-specific vaccine candidate Aug. 27. The vaccine is developed by Minapharm Group, an Egypt-based pharmaceutical company, according to a CEPI news release. Minapharm Group received $16.5 million from CEPI to advance the vaccine candidate through preclinical development and early-stage clinical trials. The modified vaccinia Ankara vaccine platform uses similar technology found in licensed vaccines against smallpox and mpox.
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