A senior WHO official announced on 23/6 that the surge in cases is primarily due to the virus's quick spread into urban areas. The Bundibugyo strain outbreak in the DRC has so far resulted in over 1,000 Ebola cases and 267 deaths. Experts believe the disease was detected late, having circulated silently for months before its official announcement on 15/5.

Abdirahman Mahamud from WHO explained at a Geneva press conference that a key reason for the outbreak's scale is the initial cases appearing in urban hubs like Bunia and the mining town of Mongbwalu. This contrasts with most previous outbreaks, which typically started in rural areas and were quickly contained. "It's important that we scale up our response, because this outbreak is moving faster than us," Reuters quoted Mahamud as stating after his visit to Bunia last week.

There is currently no preventive vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo Ebola variant. This virus transmits from fruit bats to humans, then spreads rapidly within communities through direct contact with blood or bodily fluids via broken skin, or by touching bodies during burial rituals. The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days, typically beginning abruptly with fever, fatigue, and muscle pain before progressing to vomiting, diarrhea, liver failure, and kidney failure.

Despite the challenges, Mahamud noted some positive developments. The number of Ebola treatment beds has rapidly increased to over 500 in the past two weeks. Furthermore, initial resistance from local communities, including ostracization and attacks on frontline healthcare workers, has begun to decrease. "More communities are becoming aware of the danger of Ebola, actively requesting medical equipment and supplies to protect themselves," Mahamud added.

Healthcare workers in protective gear disinfect equipment at an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on 16/6. *Photo: Reuters/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere*

Urgent concerns now center on crowded refugee camps, where the number of victims continues to rise. Ebola cases are reported in at least three densely populated camps in eastern Congo. Abdoulaye Wone from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed 25 cases in these camps, with 14 deaths. He highlighted that these camps were already overcrowded before the outbreak, with many residents leaving daily for work or to find food. Justin Zanamuzi, Director of the Catholic aid organization Caritas assisting at Kigonze camp, reported that four more children have died there since 22/6, awaiting official test results.

Historically, over 20 Ebola outbreaks have been recorded in sub-Saharan Africa. The two largest outbreaks include the West Africa epidemic (Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia) from 2014-2016, which caused 11,000 deaths, and a less severe outbreak in Congo in 2018. In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health assesses the risk of Ebola entering the country as low, given the virus's direct contact transmission, and has issued warnings while proactively preparing response plans.

Binh Minh (According to Reuters)