Ebola outbreak surpasses 1,000 suspected cases
The head of the World Health Organization traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo as health officials work to contain a rapidly growing Ebola outbreak.
(NBC)- The head of the World Health Organization traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo as health officials work to contain a rapidly growing Ebola outbreak.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in the region to reassure the public and support response efforts as the number of suspected cases continues to climb.
“This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which no licensed vaccine or treatment currently exists, but this is not without hope,” Tedros said.
The World Health Organization estimates there have been more than 1,000 suspected cases linked to the outbreak. Officials warn that up to half of those infected with the rare and highly contagious strain could die. Tedros urged residents to follow public health guidance and avoid practices that could spread the virus.
“Sharing accurate information matters,” he said. “Certain practices, including touching the bodies of those who have died from Ebola, can spread the virus further.”
Aid organization Doctors Without Borders says the outbreak is spreading faster than response teams have been able to scale up operations.
“The virus is spreading faster than we’ve been able to respond,” said Dr. Alan Gonzalez of Doctors Without Borders. “It’s because we don’t know where the virus is.”
The outbreak has also sparked unrest in some communities. Health facilities have been attacked in recent weeks, though officials say damaged sites are being rebuilt.
Meanwhile, a high court in Kenya has blocked a U.S. plan to establish a specialized treatment facility for Americans exposed to Ebola. Senior U.S. administration officials now say infected Americans would be transported to Europe rather than the United States for treatment. At the same time, passengers being monitored after exposure to hantavirus on a cruise ship may soon be allowed to return to their home states to complete quarantine, according to the CDC.
Health officials say there is currently no indication hantavirus has spread in the United States.
