Ebola update: In DR Congo, the outbreak continues to worsen while mistrust and violence show no signs of abating.
After ten months into the outbreak, the number of Ebola cases continues to increase.
Thursday, June 6, 2019 — The high level of insecurity and the lack of trust in the Ebola response continue to discourage the population from seeking care in Ebola treatment centres, resulting in an increased likelihood of the virus spreading across the general & traditional healthcare system.
While the number of new cases being reported is high, the real number is likely to be even higher.
The lack of trust in the Ebola response and the (related) deterioration of the security situation has led to severe restriction of many Ebola-related activities, including the ability of teams to move quickly on the ground to investigate alerts and trace contacts. People are either dying at home or in general healthcare facilities. People dying of Ebola in the community presents a significant transmission risk and testifies once more to the persistent lack of trust in the intervention.
It will not be possible to end this outbreak if there is no trust built between the response and the affected people. We have to listen to the needs of communities, restore their choice when it comes to managing their health, and involve them in every aspect of the Ebola response.
About the epidemiological situation (4th June 2019)
According to the official figures provided by the Ministry of Health of DR Congo, 2025 cases have been identified at the moment, including 1931 confirmed and 94 probable cases. 1358 people have died from the disease and 552 people have been cured so far.
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MSF’s current activities in North Kivu & Ituri
Since the withdrawal from Katwa and Butembo following the attacks on our Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs) in February 2019, MSF is no longer running ETCs and therefore no longer providing care to confirmed Ebola patients. However, it remains actively involved in prevention and curative activities of suspect cases, managing Transit Centres for suspected Ebola patients and supporting health structures within the Ebola context.
MSF activities include helping the healthcare system to provide support for general provision of healthcare (beyond Ebola), and implementing and strengthening triage and infection prevention and control activities (IPC). In addition, health promotion and further community engagement are being reinforced by MSF in the areas where we are working. Finally, the teams are strengthening the surveillance system in the areas where MSF runs regular programs, including Goma.
Photo credits: Karin Huster/ MSF
