Ebola outbreak reaches eighth DR Congo province; Nigeria confirms first case

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached an eighth province, Nord Ubangi. The agency also said Nigeria has confirmed its first case. The facts below come from UN News reports of WHO briefings.

UN News reported that the DRC outbreak was declared in mid-May. It has led to more than 4,600 deaths and a total of 9,552 confirmed infections. Around six in 10 of those deaths happened outside health centres. UN News said this shows how hard it is to stop transmission in communities. The outbreak has also spread to 66 health zones. UN News said 937 patients were in isolation or in hospital.

Nord Ubangi borders the Central African Republic. UN News said armed violence there continues to uproot thousands of people, which makes it harder to stop the virus. WHO also pointed to reports last week of 15 deaths per day in the rural commune of Mangina, in North Kivu province. A WHO emergency team arrived there two weeks ago after negotiating access. Dr Anne Ancia, WHO Country Representative in the DRC, said the area is “very highly insecure” and that there was community resistance to help at first.

WHO also reported more than 300 infections and about 48 deaths among health workers.

Authorities in Abuja confirmed Nigeria's first case, in a person arriving from Uganda. Nigerian authorities said the patient developed symptoms on 7 October and sought care at a clinic. The patient was hospitalised 48 hours later. WHO said more than 40 close contacts have been identified. Genetic sequencing is under way to confirm whether the infection is the same Bundibugyo virus circulating in the DRC. Dr Patrick Otim, of WHO's Emergency Response programme, said: “The source of exposure is still not known”. He said WHO would try to find where the patient was exposed, and only then could it say whether any transmission is happening.

Nigeria joins the DRC, France, Uganda and Kenya as countries that have confirmed Ebola caused by Bundibugyo virus this year. Kenya has reported nine cases, including one death earlier this month. The person who died was a Kenyan national who had worked in the DRC and flew back to Nairobi via Entebbe, Uganda. Dr Patrick Amoth, Director General of Kenya's Ministry of Health, said 135 contacts of the dead patient have been traced and accounted for, “100 per cent”. Uganda previously recorded two deaths and 20 confirmed cases. It declared the threat over at the end of August.

Inside the DRC, researchers are testing whether the Ervebo vaccine protects against Bundibugyo. The vaccine was designed for Ebola caused by Zaire virus. Dr Otim said WHO has no preliminary data yet on whether it gives enough cross-protection.

Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO's Regional Director for Africa, spoke from Brazzaville. He said the virus is “no longer confined to one place, it is a regional concern”. He also said: “Ebola does not wait.” WHO asked the governments of the DRC, Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria to step up their efforts. It set three priorities: cutting deaths through quick access to care, stronger investigation and daily follow-up of contacts, and readiness in at-risk areas and neighbouring countries.

The sources do not say how the Nigerian patient was exposed. They give no timeline for the vaccine data.