As health experts race to contain the deadly outbreak, the number of deaths from suspected Ebola has risen by 30% in a single day, writes Politico.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that there are now 500 suspected cases and 130 possible deaths from the virus. The day before, 100 deaths were reported, which may have been caused by Ebola. Most of the cases were found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a small number in Uganda.
Germany’s health minister confirmed on the 19th of May that a doctor from the United States who was diagnosed with Ebola will be evacuated to Berlin at the request of US authorities. The hospital is preparing to admit the patient to a special isolation ward. The ministry did not provide information on when the patient is expected to arrive.
There are now 30 laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola, all caused by the Bundibugyo strain. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for it.
Ghebreyesus said
the high number of potential cases, including in densely populated areas, was of particular concern.
The region is also home to about 100,000 refugees, making the Ebola outbreak particularly challenging.
WHO representative for Congo Anne Ancia told reporters on the 19th of May that the first cases were detected in Ituri province in the northeast of the country, which borders Uganda. The disease has now also been detected in North Kivu, which is south of Ituri and borders Rwanda.
The United States has banned entry for 30 days for all non-US citizens who have traveled to the region with the Ebola outbreak in the past 21 days. This decision contradicts WHO international guidelines. The United States did not sign the revised guidelines in 2024, but is among the countries that signed the 2005 guidelines, which also recommend against imposing a travel ban.
Jeanne Marrazzo, head of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said that measures that prohibit foreigners from entering the country are ineffective, and diseases do not travel on passports.
Read also: WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo an international emergency