WHO expresses concern over scale of Ebola outbreak

…As death toll jumps to 131

Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Tuesday said he is “deeply concerned”  about the speed and scale of the Ebola outbreak as the number of cases and deaths continue to rise.

At least 26 deaths were recorded in 24 hours in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing to 131 the fatalities associated with the outbreak.

There have been 516 suspected cases and 33 confirmed cases in Congo, according to a daily bulletin published by health authorities, and two confirmed cases in neighbouring Uganda.

“I’m deeply concerned about the scale ‌and ⁠speed of the epidemic,” Ghebreyesus told members of the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday.

“Cases reported among health workers also indicate healthcare-associated transmission”, ⁠he added.

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Ghebreyesus on Sunday declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the second-highest level of alert under international health regulations.

This fast-growing Ebola outbreak is a version of the virus for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Health experts say that, while this strain may not be the deadliest form of Ebola, the speed of transmission, spread into urban areas, and weak healthcare systems in conflict-hit regions are raising fears of a wider regional crisis.

The WHO has scheduled a meeting of an emergency committee later on Tuesday to discuss the Ebola outbreak. The emergency committee is made up of international experts who provide technical advice and ⁠recommendations, such as vaccine ⁠options, to help tackle the outbreak.

There are several factors that have made the WHO concerned about the potential for further spread, such as cases in urban areas, including ⁠Kampala, Uganda, and Goma in the DRC, as well as the conflict-affected province of Ituri.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people or animals and causes symptoms that can include high fever, vomiting and internal and external bleeding. According to the WHO, the average fatality rate from Ebola is around 50 percent, varying from 25 percent to 90 percent in past outbreaks.

The US is working to develop a monoclonal antibody therapy as a potential treatment, the Centre for Disease Control said on Monday.

The WHO has also approved $3.9 million in emergency funding to support national authorities as they respond to the outbreak.

NCAA orders strict airport screenings, airline surveillance over Ebola outbreak

In another related development, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a directive to all domestic and international airlines operating in Nigeria on the surveillance of passengers, as well as enhanced port health surveillance at all international airports.

This swift regulatory intervention follows the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) formal declaration of the fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The NCAA in a circular, said the directive was necessary due to growing concerns about the spread of the disease and the aviation sector’s critical role in preventing cross-border transmission.

The authority noted that although no confirmed case linked to the outbreak has been recorded in Nigeria, it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Port Health Services and international health organisations to closely monitor the situation.

According to the NCAA, health authorities in the DRC recently identified a cluster of severe illnesses among healthcare workers in the Bunia Health Zone in the country’s northeastern region.

The aviation authority listed symptoms associated with Ebola Virus Disease to include sudden fever, severe fatigue, persistent headache, vomiting, abdominal pain and bleeding manifestations such as nosebleeds or vomiting blood.

It stressed that early detection and immediate reporting remain critical to preventing the international spread of the disease.

As part of preventive measures, the authority said disease surveillance systems at airports have been strengthened, while contact tracing, case reporting mechanisms and border health screening procedures are also being reinforced.

The NCAA further directed pilots to notify Air Traffic Control of any suspected cases of communicable disease onboard aircraft, in line with the NCAR.

It also instructed flight crew members to complete and submit Aircraft General Declaration forms for all suspected cases and mandated that airlines ensure passenger locator forms are completed and submitted to Port Health Services upon arrival.

The authority added that airlines must ensure that aircraft are properly equipped with first-aid kits, universal-precaution kits, and emergency medical kits.

It also urged operators to reinforce crew training on the identification and management of communicable diseases and ensure strict adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines.

The NCAA called on all aviation stakeholders to remain vigilant and fully comply with established public health protocols to safeguard passengers, crew members, and the general public from potential health threats.