World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday that the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading rapidly.
The escalation of the virus threatens a large number of lives and has prompted the WHO to mobilize additional resources, including the Oxford vaccine, to contain the spread.
During a briefing from Geneva, Tedros said the organization has upgraded the risk assessment to a "very high" level at the national level [4]. He said he is "deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the Ebola outbreak."
Health officials have confirmed 131 deaths [1]. However, the total toll may be higher, as Tedros said there are 139 suspected deaths [3].
The number of suspected cases is also rising. While some reports indicate 513 suspected cases [2], Tedros said there are "almost 600 suspected cases" [3].
"The outbreak is spreading rapidly and we have upgraded the risk assessment to a very high level at the national level," Tedros said.
The rapid transmission in the eastern region of the country has created an urgent need for medical intervention. The mobilization of the Oxford vaccine is part of a broader effort to prevent the outbreak from expanding further into neighboring communities.
“"The outbreak is spreading rapidly and we have upgraded the risk assessment to a very high level at the national level."”
The upgrade to a 'very high' national risk level signals that the outbreak has surpassed local containment capabilities and requires an aggressive international response. The discrepancy between confirmed and suspected cases suggests that the virus may be more widespread than current testing can verify, increasing the urgency for the deployment of the Oxford vaccine to establish a firewall against further transmission.
