World
Congo’s Ebola Outbreak Started Earlier Than Declared, Says WHO
The World Health Organization reports that Congo’s Ebola outbreak began in February, months before its official declaration in May.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) commenced in February 2023, a full three months prior to its official declaration in mid-May. WHO regional director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, provided this information during a press conference on Monday.
Dr. Janabi indicated that genomic sequencing data pointed to the earlier start date of the outbreak. This crucial finding is essential for understanding the transmission dynamics of the virus and implementing an effective response strategy.
In a related issue, some early cases of the disease were mistakenly identified as malaria and typhoid, which contributed to delays in recognizing the outbreak for what it truly was, according to the WHO.
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The organization is now working to address this oversight as responders in eastern DRC strive to catch up with the rapid spread of Ebola, marking it as one of the fastest-growing outbreaks of the virus on record.
Efforts continue in the region to mitigate the outbreak's impact, as health officials and organizations coordinate to improve detection and treatment of Ebola cases, thereby reducing the risks to public health.