This is DRC’s tenth and most serious Ebola epidemic since the virus was discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River, in what was then called Zaire. Forty years later, despite a massive and coordinated mobilisation by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Congolese Ministry of Health and organisations such as MSF, the deadly virus is still spreading.
The newest urban locations to be affected are the city of Butembo, as well as Kalenguta, 25 kilometres to its north, and Katwa, 30 kilometres to its east. These places have all seen an increase in confirmed cases of Ebola, as well as some resistance from the community. For now, the number of cases in Butembo’s city centre is low, but case numbers are rising quickly in its eastern suburbs and outlying isolated districts.
“We are very concerned by the epidemiological situation in the Butembo area. We now know that this outbreak will last and that we must increase our efforts to get it under control,” says John Johnson, MSF project coordinator in Butembo. “With the agreement of the authorities, we have made a strategic decision to roll out our activities close to the affected populations and to organise training of key people in the community so that we can reach patients and their relatives.”
Our efforts to reach Ebola suspects living in isolated areas have had initial success. New cases are being reported from these areas and patients are being brought to Butembo, where we manage an Ebola treatment centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The number of beds in the Butembo centre has recently been increased to 64.
The city of Butembo, one of the newest urban areas to be affected by the outbreak.
Meanwhile, we have reinforced our activities to decontaminate health centres and vaccinate frontline health workers to help contain the epidemic. So far, 2,000 frontline workers have received the Ebola vaccine.
In Mangina, where the epidemic started, no new cases have been reported for several weeks.
“We should be able to end our activities in the Mangina treatment centre shortly,” says Axelle Ronsse, coordinator of MSF’s Ebola response.
In Beni, the number of cases per week remains stable. However, new cases are still being confirmed daily.
“To fight this, we have stepped up our medical and health operations by opening a 48-bed transit centre that is still busy,” says Ronsse. “We also perform decontaminations in health centres where a confirmed patient has been. But our actions aren’t limited to reactive responses: we have increased our training of health professionals and raising awareness amongst communities of hygiene practices. Four months after the start of the epidemic, we remain mobilised and vigilant in the face of new developments.”
An MSF health worker at the organisation's treatent centre in Butembo.
Antoine manages health promotion activities at the Butembo Ebola treatment centre.
“My daily work is essential in addressing the epidemic. We want to encourage people to come and get treated as quickly as possible. We also spread the message that recovering from Ebola is possible,” says Antoine. “We ask every survivor who leaves our centre to become an ambassador and raise awareness by telling their story. Some people who are now immune to the virus can, in turn, provide valuable help, particularly looking after children isolated from their families. It is by working together that we will beat this epidemic. It concerns us all.”