The number of confirmed deaths linked to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 102, officials said on Tuesday.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) confirmed that Ebola deaths in Congo and Uganda have risen to 102.
As of Monday, the total number of confirmed cases stood at 608, including 19 in Uganda, it added. While 45 new cases were confirmed in Congo over the past 24 hours, there were no new cases in neighbouring Uganda during that time.
The mortality rate for this outbreak is just under 17%, the report added. In other Ebola epidemics, it has sometimes exceeded 50%. According to the Congolese Ministry of Information, 309 people were in hospitals or in isolation and 19 patients were reportedly on the road to recovery.
Ebola is a life-threatening disease. The virus is transmitted through physical contact and contact with bodily fluids.
The current outbreak is particularly difficult to contain, partly because there is currently neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), to stop the spread of the disease, it is necessary to identify and monitor 90% of all people who have been in contact with an infected person.
Currently, contact tracing stands at around 64%, according to the Ministry of Information in Kinshasa.
In the Ituri region of north-eastern Congo, where the current outbreak is centred, the existing medical infrastructure is already weak under normal circumstances. An additional challenge for volunteers is the insecurity in the conflict-ridden region, where several armed militias are active.
EU increases support to tackle Ebola outbreak in Congo
The European Union on Tuesday pledged an additional €16.5 million ($18 million) to help tackle the Ebola outbreak in Congo.
This includes testing equipment worth €5 million, as well as financial contributions of €5 million to the WHO to support surveillance and access to supplies including protective equipment.
Another €6.5 million is to go to an initiative by the Africa CDC to help equip frontline workers.
