A new outbreak of the Ebola virus has infected 100 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Equatorial Province, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which said several dozen people have died.
The outbreak was first reported in the province on June 1, and a cluster was first found in Mbandaka, the capital.
“The outbreak has since spread to 11 of the province’s 17 health zones. Of the 100 cases reported so far, 96 have been confirmed and four are likely, “the agency said.
Some 43 people have died from the deadly virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever.
“The outbreak presents significant logistical challenges, with affected communities spanning large distances in remote and densely populated areas of the province crossing the Equator,” WHO said. “At its widest points, the eruption is spread over about 200 miles both from east to west and from north to south.”
The agency said providing relief to affected populations could take days. Offers and first responders should travel areas that do not have roads and may need to rely on riverboat trips, according to WHO.
In the same province, an Ebola outbreak occurred in May 2018, killing at least 33 people.
“With 100 Ebola cases in less than 100 days, the outbreak in Equateur Province is changing in a significant way,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti with WHO. “The virus spreads over a wide and rugged terrain that requires costly interventions and with COVID-19 resources and attention draining, it is difficult to scale up operations.”
Earlier in August, Congolese Ebola health workers protested over unpaid wages.
Provincial health minister Bruno Efoloko said the mayor had closed negotiations with the striking workers late Monday afternoon. They were protesting against the Ministry of Health’s recent publication of their pay scales, which they thought were too low, and the government’s failure since the start of the new epidemic, Keita said.
“The negotiations were successful. The laboratory is now operational, “Efoloko told Reuters, adding that some lab technicians had returned to work after the talks. “The national ministry of health promises to investigate its claims,” Efoloko said. “We will continue to train others to effectively reimburse activities.”
In June, Congo marked the end of a separate Ebola outbreak in the east of the country, the second-worst on record, killing more than 2,200 people in two years.
Reuters contributed to this report.
