WHO: Ebola Spreading Even Faster Than Expected

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed at least 131 people may be spreading faster than initially understood, a World Health Organization representative warned Tuesday.

Dr. Anne Ancia told the BBC that as investigators examine the outbreak more closely, it has become increasingly clear that cases have spread beyond the areas first identified.

Officials said more than 513 cases are suspected in DR Congo, while one person has died in neighboring Uganda. But modeling released Monday by the London-based MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis suggested there has been “substantial” under-detection and said it could not rule out that more than 1,000 cases have already occurred.

The study said the outbreak is likely larger than currently confirmed and that its true scale remains uncertain.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who declared the outbreak an international emergency last week, said he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic.”

The outbreak may have been spreading for several weeks before it was first detected on April 24. It is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare strain for which there is no approved vaccine. The WHO is evaluating whether existing drugs may provide protection.

Ancia said the outbreak’s epicenter, Ituri province, is highly insecure and marked by significant population movement, complicating efforts to investigate and contain the disease.

“The more we are investigating this outbreak, the more we realise that it has already disseminated at least a little bit across border and also in other provinces,” she said.

She said the outbreak has spread to South Kivu, a province already affected by years of humanitarian crisis. A case has also been reported in Goma, eastern DR Congo’s largest city, which has about 850,000 residents and is under the control of Rwandan-backed rebels.

The Red Cross warned that Ebola can escalate quickly when cases are not identified early, communities lack information and health systems are overwhelmed, saying those conditions are now present.

Several African countries have tightened border screenings and prepared health facilities. Rwanda has closed its border with DR Congo, while Uganda has urged people to avoid hugging and handshakes.

An American citizen who developed symptoms over the weekend is being evacuated for treatment in Germany. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is working to evacuate at least six other Americans who were exposed.

Ebola spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. Early symptoms include fever, headache and fatigue, followed by vomiting, diarrhea and, in severe cases, organ failure and bleeding.