More than 7,000 Ebola cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo in what authorities say is the country’s worst outbreak of the deadly virus.
The latest figures from the Congolese authorities show that 7,022 cases have been recorded since the outbreak began, with 3,398 deaths and 1,671 recoveries.
The outbreak was officially detected in mid-May, after the virus was believed to have spread unnoticed for several weeks.
It began in Ituri Province in the north-east before spreading to remote and conflict-affected areas in eastern and northern parts of the country, where the presence of state authorities is limited and healthcare infrastructure remains inadequate.
Earlier this week, Ebola was confirmed in South-Ubangi Province, bringing the number of affected provinces to seven. South-Ubangi borders the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo.
Schools raise concerns
Ituri has recorded the majority of cases, with Ebola detected in schools after pupils returned from the summer holidays.
The spread among schoolchildren has increased concerns among parents and health workers in Bunia, the provincial capital.
“We are very worried because we don’t know which child comes from which family or what the health status of the members of that family is,” Angele Magani, the mother of a schoolboy in Bunia, told AFP.
“We are so scared, even though the school authorities reassure us about the health measures that have been put in place,” she added.
A Bunia school official, Roger Mungimbo, said schools had introduced measures aimed at limiting transmission.
“There is a mandatory hand-washing system with soap, and we have also done everything possible to have a maximum of 30 pupils per classroom,” he said.
“We regularly make the children aware that they must not touch each other, must not greet each other and must wash their hands regularly,” Mungimbo added.
No approved vaccine for current strain
Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids and can cause severe internal and external bleeding, organ failure and death.
The virus has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past five decades.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain. According to the report, there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment specifically available for the strain, although several vaccines and treatments are undergoing testing.
The scale of the outbreak has raised concerns over the ability of authorities and health workers to contain the virus, particularly in areas affected by conflict, poor infrastructure and limited access to healthcare.