Rare incurable Ebola outbreak sparks emergency response by global crisis group | News World

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has launched an emergency response to the deadly Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.

The rare strain of the virus, which has no vaccine, has killed 88 people across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

Yesterday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a world emergency over the outbreak.

Authorities have confirmed the present outbreak is brought on by the Bundibugyo strain. It currently has no licensed vaccine or treatment.

The IRC says the spread could speed up attributable to insecurity, displacement, fragile health systems, and high levels of population movement across the region if containment if not ramped up.

Heather Kerr, IRC Democratic Republic of Congo county director, said: ‘Every delay has a human cost. The confirmation of cases in Goma raises serious alarm – a densely populated transport hub where the virus can spread fast and much. 

‘Eastern DRC’s years of conflict and displacement have left health systems on their knees, and that makes containing this outbreak all of the harder. With dozens of lives already lost and an already overstretched health system, we want to act fast. 

‘The IRC has extensive experience responding to Ebola outbreaks, and our teams know that rapid motion on infection prevention and control, community engagement, protected isolation, and support to frontline medical experts is critical to stopping further spread. 

‘In response to the present escalating outbreak, whilst working in close coordination with the federal government health authorities who’re leading the response, IRC is straight away launching emergency prevention and control activities including distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).’

The outbreak was announced by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday. Nevertheless, it isn’t clear when it had begun.

In an announcement released by WHO on Sunday, it said there are ‘significant uncertainties’ over the true variety of infected people or its geographical spread.

It added: ‘The event requires international coordination and cooperation to grasp the extent of the outbreak, to coordinate surveillance, prevention and response efforts, to scale up and strengthen operations and ensure ability to implement control measures.’

Based on the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control, the likelihood of infection for people in Europe is taken into account very low.  

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