The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministry of Health on Monday announced the number of people infected with Ebola in North Kivu has surpassed 2,000. The number has more than tripled of the daily case rate when compared to the time taken for the outbreak to reach 1,000. The outbreak was declared in August last year. The 2014 outbreak in West Africa killed more than 11,000 people.
“The bar of 2,000 cases was passed Sunday,” the Ministry of Health said, reported The Guardian. “Despite this course, the developments in recent weeks are positive although vigilance remains in place.
There have been 1,994 confirmed and probable cases of infection with the virus so far which makes the outbreak the second largest in history. New cases are being reported at a rate of around 10-15 every day. Some 1,339 people have already succumbed to death.
“The fact that we have hit 2,000 persons infected with Ebola so quickly demonstrates that this outbreak is spreading faster when it should be slowing,” said Tariq Riebl, emergency response director of the International Rescue Committee.
It has been very difficult to control the outbreak this time because of community mistrust and violent attacks on health care workers. Violence by armed groups has forced health workers to suspend vaccination and treatment work.
In fact, the health workers are afraid to wear protective equipment in some areas because they fear they will be targeted by armed groups, the World Health Organization has said.
“Community members do not trust medical staff and aid organizations, and are not coming into health facilities when they show Ebola symptoms,” Riebl said.
Some armed men killed WHO epidemiologist Dr. Richard Mouzoko in April while he was working in Butembo, in North Kivu. The attack took place during a coordination meeting at the hospital where Mouzoko was working.
