Congo Ebola deaths surpass 1,000 as attacks on treatment centers go on

By Fiston Mahamba and Stephanie Nebehay

 

Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) attends a news conference on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland May 3, 2019. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

 

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo/GENEVA (Reuters) - The death toll from an Ebola outbreak in Congo rose above 1,000 on Friday, with attacks on treatment centers continuing to hamper efforts to control the "intense transmission" of the second-worst epidemic of the virus on record.

 

The World Health Organization said it expected the nine-month outbreak to continue spreading though the east of Democratic Republic of Congo, and announced plans to expand vaccinations in the coming weeks once a new treatment by Johnson & Johnson is approved.

 

The WHO is already using another experimental vaccine made by Merck.

 

Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, said supplies were plentiful but hostility towards medical staff was making it hard to get to affected communities.

 

He told reporters in Geneva that 119 attacks had been documented since January, and as a result, "we are anticipating a scenario of continued intense transmission".

 

More than 100,000 people have been vaccinated so far, and the treatment has been highly effective, the WHO says.

 

The Merck vaccine will still be used in "ring vaccination" of people exposed to the virus and their contacts, Ryan said, but the WHO is also studying use of a single dose to stretch supplies, an option experts would review on Monday.

 

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine would be deployed outside the rings in surrounding areas to protect people from infection, "as a way of laying down a barrier to the virus", Ryan said.

 

Congo's Health Ministry said on Friday that 14 new Ebola deaths had been recorded, taking the toll to 1,008 deaths from confirmed and probable cases.

 

Only the 2013-2016 outbreak in West Africa has been deadlier. More than 11,000 people died then out of 28,000 who were infected.

 

Despite significant medical advances since then, including the vaccine and experimental treatments, health officials have struggled to control the current outbreak because of the violence and community mistrust in eastern Congo, where dozens of militias are active.

 

Militiamen attacked a hospital treating Ebola patients two weeks ago, killing a senior WHO epidemiologist and wounding two others.

 

"The numbers are nothing short of terrifying," said Jeremy Farrar, an infectious disease specialist and director of the global health charity the Wellcome Trust.

 

“This epidemic will not be brought under control without a really significant shift in the response,” he said. “Community trust and safety, as well as community engagement and ownership of the response is critical.”

 

There was an attempted assault on an Ebola treatment facility in the city of Butembo on Thursday, but nobody was injured and the assailants were captured, the WHO's Ryan said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-04

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Is the USA helping?I know we did with previous administrations I hope so

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Is the USA helping?I know we did with previous administrations I hope so

 

I have an idea we could tax the rich. We don't have unlimited money to do these sort of things. Bill Gates is probably doing more single handed than any country in places such as Europe for what it is worth. He is sort of a big deal for Africa.

 

Pouring money into a place where you have violent thugs attacking those that are trying to help probably doesn't make much sense.

Edited May 4, 20197 yr by Cryingdick

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

 

I have an idea we could tax the rich. We don't have unlimited money to do these sort of things. Bill Gates is probably doing more single handed than any country in places such as Europe for what it is worth. He is sort of a big deal for Africa.

 

Pouring money into a place where you have violent thugs attacking those that are trying to help probably doesn't make much sense.

Ahhh you do know Ebola is highly contagious don’t you??

3 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

Pouring money into a place where you have violent thugs attacking those that are trying to help probably doesn't make much sense.

 

 

You're right.  Letting ebola become a global pandemic makes much more sense.

13 hours ago, Tug said:

Ahhh you do know Ebola is highly contagious don’t you??

URBAN MYTH

" Ebola is much less contagious than many other more common diseases. The virus, much like HIV or hepatitis, is spread through blood or bodily fluids and is not airborne. "

 

 

Sooooo, the people at risk of contracting the disease are attacking the people trying to save them. Is there any hope for the human race?

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sooooo, the people at risk of contracting the disease are attacking the people trying to save them. Is there any hope for the human race?

Only in fairy tales  ( and they lived happily ever after )

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sooooo, the people at risk of contracting the disease are attacking the people trying to save them. Is there any hope for the human race?

Not in Africa there isn't.

On ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 8:09 PM, Cryingdick said:

 

I have an idea we could tax the rich. We don't have unlimited money to do these sort of things. Bill Gates is probably doing more single handed than any country in places such as Europe for what it is worth. He is sort of a big deal for Africa.

 

Pouring money into a place where you have violent thugs attacking those that are trying to help probably doesn't make much sense.

Quite a selfish attitude (go figure).

 

Didn't that guy running the U S refer to Africa as a "shithole country". That being said (literally), of course there won't be any urgency to assist.

On ‎5‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 2:10 PM, neeray said:

Quite a selfish attitude (go figure).

 

Didn't that guy running the U S refer to Africa as a "shithole country". That being said (literally), of course there won't be any urgency to assist.

Perhaps US citizens that want to help can start an internet fund to do so. Doesn't always have to be the poor old taxpayer having to pay out for things in other countries.

USAID for Congo...

 

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/02.15.19_-_USAID-DCHA_DRC_Complex_Emergency_Fact_Sheet_1.pdf