LONDON, Aug 27 — The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in Uganda is over, but it is not under control in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official told a briefing yesterday.
The all-clear for Uganda follows a declaration on July 28 from the Ugandan government that it is free of the disease, which caused 20 cases and two deaths in the country.
WHO monitored the situation until this week to ensure no chains of transmission were missed.
But WHO director of emergency preparedness for the African region Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire told a WHO regional meeting that cases in Democratic Republic of Congo continue to rise despite some progress. The outbreak there is the second-deadliest in history, and is outpacing containment efforts.
According to the Congolese government, as of Tuesday there have been more than 2,700 deaths and more than 5,600 cases.
“Transmission remains very active. We have slowed the acceleration, but we have not yet bent this curve,” said Belizaire.
She added that there are improvements in contact tracing and testing, and also that analyses of the Bundibugyo virus have not shown any signs of mutation despite the rapid spread.
While she described that as good news, she also flagged an immediate US$30 million (RM120.8 million) funding gap for logistical operations to deliver medical and personal protective equipment in the worst-hit areas of Congo.
“Without this immediate investment, we risk stalling the momentum we have built,” Belizaire said.
