Ebola slows in parts of DR Congo, but new hotspots, cross-border spread surface
Summary
Ebola transmission is slowing in parts of eastern DR Congo, but new hotspots and weak contact tracing are keeping the outbreak dangerous. Health officials also warned of cross-border spread after Kenya confirmed its first imported Ebola case, while vaccine and treatment trials continue in Uganda.
Key Points
- Ebola cases have declined in parts of Ituri and North Kivu, but transmission remains active in 47 of 64 affected health zones across seven provinces.
- WHO and Africa CDC warned that insecurity, community resistance and underreporting are hampering surveillance, contact tracing and outbreak control.
- Kenya confirmed its first imported Ebola case, prompting cross-border contact tracing efforts with the DRC and Uganda.
- Phase Ib trials of vaccine candidates from the University of Oxford and Moderna have begun or been approved in Uganda, while experimental treatment trials are also advancing.
