Ebola Outbreak in DRC Raises Concern Amid Civil War
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is concerning. It has been spreading for weeks undetected.
A Critical Moment
Civil war in the region makes it difficult to control the virus. The species of Ebola involved is rare. Therefore, there are fewer tools to stop a virus that kills around a third of people infected.This is a critical moment. There is uncertainty about how far the virus has spread. However, there are already almost 250 suspected cases and 80 deaths.
Haunted by the Past
Most Ebola outbreaks tend to be small. But specialists are haunted by the 2014-16 outbreak. Then, 28,600 people in West Africa were infected. It was the largest ever Ebola outbreak.
The WHO has now declared a public health emergency. That does not mean we are in the early stages of a Covid-style pandemic. The risk to the whole world remains tiny. Even in the 2014-16 outbreak, there were only three cases in the UK. All were healthcare workers who had volunteered to help.
International Coordination Needed
“It does reflect that the situation is complex enough to require international coordination,” says Dr Amanda Rojek. She is from the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.
