EXPLICADOR SKY NEWS
Health authorities admit that as there is no vaccination available for the virus variant that caused the outbreak, the number of cases and fatalities could continue to rise in the coming weeks.
At least 130 people have died due to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo), where more than 500 suspected cases have already been identified. THE declared an international public health emergency due to the outbreak.
The outbreak began in the province of Ituri, in eastern DRCongo, where most cases and deaths were recorded. Since then, cases have also been confirmed in Goma and Uganda. The WHO fears that the virus will continue to spread between countries in the region.
According to a British television partner of SIC, the outbreak may have started several weeks ago without being detected.
Experts cited by the broadcaster believe that the fact that it was caused by the Bundibugyo variant, one of the rarest of Ebola and the most recently identified, may help explain the delay in detecting the epidemic.
Health authorities admit that the The true size of the outbreak is still unknown and warn that, as there is no vaccination available for this variant of the virus, the number of cases and fatalities may continue to increase in the coming weeks.
But after all, what is Ebola?
Ebola is a disease caused by a virus originally transmitted by wild mammals. Spread between people occurs through contact with bodily fluids, blood or contaminated objects such as clothing, sheets or needles.
The first symptoms include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches and sore throat. As the disease progresses, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes and internal and external bleeding may occurwhich can lead to organ failure.
The average mortality rate from Ebola is around 50%, although it may be significantly higher in some outbreaks. The most serious occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, causing more than 11 thousand deaths.
Despite the international warning, the WHO emphasizes that the situation does not currently constitute a global pandemic, considering the risk of spread to countries outside the affected region very low.
