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At a press conference in Geneva, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said more than a month after the outbreak occurred, Frontline workers have expanded services and testing at an unprecedented pace, but conditions on the ground remain challenging.
“It is encouraging to see that since this outbreak was first reported five weeks ago, the response has improved significantly,” he said.
In just over a month, treatment capacity has increased from less than 10 beds to more than 500 beds in 19 health centers, while laboratory testing capacity has increased from 30 daily tests in the capital Kinshasa to more than 2,000 tests daily in nine laboratories in three provinces.
Early diagnosis
Tedros said people were increasingly looking for information and help to stay safe.
“More and more people are aware of the risks Ebola and ask for tools and support to protect themselveshe said.
More than 100 people have recovered so far, giving hope that early diagnosis and supportive care can save lives.
However, the scale of need is still very large. “Now there is 1,094 confirmed cases, with 277 deaths,” Tedros said. “The outbreak continues to move rapidly.”
Meanwhile, neighboring Uganda has reported 20 confirmed cases, with two confirmed deaths.
New treatment
WHO and its partners are now preparing to launch a clinical trial next week in Congo to test whether two antiviral treatments, MBP134 and remdesivir, can reduce deaths from Bundibugyo virus disease.
“We can save more lives with therapy,” said Tedros.
Communities are being actively consulted and informed about the trial process, and plans are underway to ensure affected communities can access treatment if it is proven effective.
Improve access
However, apart from the medical field, health officials also warn about this Humanitarian conditions continue to weaken emergency response efforts.
Tedros stressed that political action was urgently needed to improve humanitarian access and enable health teams to reach people in affected areas.
“Advocacy and political action are critical to creating conditions that increase humanitarian access and scale up responsehe said.
Risks faced by respondents
Health workers themselves have pay a heavy price. On Wednesday, an aid worker in France with the medical NGO ALIMA tested positive for Ebola after returning from treating patients in Congo.
Nearly 80 health workers have been infected during the outbreak. “This case is a reminder of the risks faced by frontline workers,” said Tedros.
WHO urges countries to support measures for safe deployment of aid personnel, including better risk communication, infection prevention and evacuation preparedness.
Although there have been a few international cases linked to the outbreak, the agency stated that the overall risk to the rest of the world remains low.
Obstacles still exist
Major obstacles remain in the affected regions: contact tracing remains inadequate, treatment centers are under pressure, safe and dignified burials remain difficult, border closures continue to slow operations and repeated security incidents make access difficult.
The outbreak comes amid what Tedros described as a humanitarian crisis that has been ongoing for decades.
Earlier this month, WHO and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan calling for $518 million to strengthen efforts in the affected region and neighboring countries.
With the latest funding data expected to be released next week, aid agencies hope the international response will match the urgency felt by communities still facing one of the region’s most serious public health emergencies.
