‘Deeply Worrisome,’ WHO Chief Says (Live Updates)
Forbes • • world
Key Points:
- The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 750 cases with 177 suspected deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
- The outbreak likely began in late April with a healthcare worker's death, initially misdiagnosed due to focus on the more common Ebola strain; it was later identified as the rarer Bundibugyo variant.
- This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC over 50 years, following one that ended in December with 45 deaths; unlike previous strains, the Bundibugyo variant has no approved vaccine or treatment, with care limited to supportive measures.
- The 2007 Bundibugyo outbreak had a fatality rate of 32%, comparable to untreated smallpox and typhoid fever, highlighting the severity of this strain.
- A recent report from the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board warns that global readiness for pandemics remains inadequate despite lessons from COVID-19, with increasing infectious disease threats posing significant challenges worldwide.