Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

The World has been enveloped by bad news around since long: of failures, of deaths, of sufferings. Finally, there seems to be a news that does bring a glad tiding.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has officially steered clear through World’s second deadliest Ebola outbreak (the cases were genetically linked to the 2018-20 Ebola epidemic that killed more than 2,200 people), 12th time for Congo to win against the deadly disease.

The outbreak in country was declared on February 7, 2021 and a total of 12 cases were reported in the eastern province of North Kivu, killing six of them, so far in the span of 3 months.

I am pleased to solemnly declare the end of the 12th epidemic of Ebola virus disease in North Kivu Province,” health minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani said in a statement.

Despite the security context and the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapidity and efficiency of the response put in place by the government and its partners made it possible to defeat this pandemic in less than three months,” he said.

Ebola Virus Disease in the times of Corona:

Also known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever proves to be severe, often fatal illness in humans. As the virus moves within, it attacks immune system and destroys our platelets, thereby causing fever, body aches, and diarrhea, and sometimes bleeding inside and outside the body.

EVD average case fatality rate is around 50%, varying from 25% to 90% in the past outbreaks.

In total, there are 5 strains, 4 of which make humans sick.

It first appeared during two 1976 outbreaks in Africa and hence its name comes from nearby Ebola River.

Transmission: This is a zoonotic virus i.e. coming from wild animals like bats, monkeys, chimpanzees, and gorillas (in areas where the virus originates) to Humans and then sustains through human-to-human transmission only through direct contact with sick person’s fluids.

Prevention: Community engagement is the key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Good outbreak control relies on case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service and social mobilization.

Treatment:

There’s no known cure for Ebola, though researchers are working on it. Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves bleak rate of survival.

A range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development. For immediate treatment, two drug treatments have been approved.

Success story:

DRC’s response team and health partners having experiences of this disease before, brought the epidemic under control within three months after its declaration. This deserves an accolade.

Huge credit must be given to the local health workers and the national authorities for their prompt response, tenacity, experience and hard work that brought this outbreak under control,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Direct for Africa.

Because the response and action was often hampered by insecurity reverberating through armed groups and social unrest limited the movement of health workers, the World Health Organization clarified in a statement.

A rapid vaccination drive by the WHO and the governments to vaccinate frontline staff and all the people in contact, worked the charm.

Are there any vaccines for Ebola?

Although rVSV-ZEBOV (Ervebo) only treats the Zaire strain of the virus. DRC used Merck’s(MRK.N)Ebola vaccine to control the outbreak, which was subsequently given to more than 1,600 of the patients’ contacts and contacts of contacts.

With Congo clear, does anyone else has it?

A week later DRC declared ECD resurgence and thousands of miles away, another west African nation of Guinea declared the outbreak in a cross-border trading area. The area suffered the most-deadly Ebola outbreak in history five years ago.

Guinea has two active cases. But it has not seen the mad rush of infections many feared.

It used to take considerable years to control the spread. However, the outbreak seem to have been controlled by both countries with a sum total of 32 recorded cases and 15 deaths between them.

From 2013 to 2016, the virus killed at least 11,300 people, scoring through Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Ebola prevalence in DRC during 2018-19 and earlier outbreaks

Problems and challenges:

Societal negligence and negation of Ebola, especially in eastern Congo is an issue.

Also, Human body can act as “reservoir” for the disease as the virus stays for long, in a case upto 500 days, without anyone’s knowledge.

To success in the long run, the authorities need to stay alert for possible resurgence and use the growing expertise on emergency response to address other health threats the country faces along with continued research on the virus.

It feels good that when India and the World are steering through another Pandemic, there is a country; not the strongest one for sure, not the ones with resources be it financial, Human capital etc. could dream and act sufficiently to fight another deadlier virus.

Child smiling under foster care by a Nurse while his Mother is struggling with Ebola

It’s a story of Hope, from another land. One can always learn and try until one succeeds.

By Alaina Ali Beg

I am a lover of all arts and therefore can dream myself in all places where the World takes me. I am an avid animal lover and firmly believes that Nature is the true sorcerer.