刚果东部正在经历历史上增长最快的埃博拉疫情，目前已确诊超4700例，造成2200多人死亡[1]。这一死亡数字的达成速度是2014至2016年西非埃博拉疫情的近三倍[1]。当前疫情由罕见的Bundibugyo埃博拉病毒引起，目前无已批准的疫苗或治疗方法[1]。其中，Ituri省占刚果埃博拉病例的90%和死亡人数的80%[1]。
接触者追踪系统严重滞后，已成为疫情防控的主要漏洞。60%至70%的新增埃博拉病例出现在未被列为接触者监测对象的人群中[1]，表明病毒传播速度已大幅超越追踪能力。在Nizi地区，卫生工作者每天处理60至70起警报[1]，工作强度极为巨大。
卫生工作者面临多重困境，严重影响应对效率。Nizi治疗中心卫生工作者因三个多月未获薪酬于周四临时关闭该中心并罢工[1]。非洲疾病控制与预防中心主任让·卡塞亚周四呼吁刚果政府支付拖欠的工资[1]。社区卫生工作者月薪仅约50美元，工作时间从早8点至晚11点或午夜[1]。叛乱分子活动和人口流动进一步阻碍了应对工作[1]。
为应对疫情恶化，联合国人道主义事务负责人汤姆·弗莱彻周五宣布追加投入3050万美元应急资金[1]。
Health workers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are struggling to contain a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak that is outpacing contact tracing efforts. The epidemic has claimed more than 2,200 lives among over 4,700 confirmed cases, with deaths occurring at nearly three times the pace of the 2014-16 West African outbreak.[1] The Ituri Province accounts for 90% of Congo's Ebola cases and 80% of deaths.[1]
A critical failure in disease surveillance has emerged as a major obstacle to containment. Between 60% and 70% of new Ebola cases are occurring among individuals who were not being monitored as contacts of known patients, indicating the tracking system cannot keep pace with virus transmission.[1] In the Nizi region, health workers are fielding 60 to 70 alerts daily.[1] The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists.[1]
Staff exhaustion and resource constraints are severely hampering the response. Health workers at the Nizi treatment center, earning approximately $50 monthly for shifts running from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. or midnight, went on strike due to being unpaid for over three months and temporarily closed the facility on Thursday.[1] African CDC Director Jean Kasesya called on the Congo government to settle outstanding wage arrears on Thursday.[1] In response, the UN's humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher announced an additional $30.5 million in emergency funding on Friday.[1] Armed group activity and population movement have further complicated outbreak response efforts.[1]