There are now five confirmed cases of Ebola in Butembo, a city of a million people with strong trade links to Goma and Uganda, as well as a number of suspected cases
Insecurity continues to hinder efforts as armed groups prevent access to people in need
The IRC is working around the clock to train health workers to try and prevent further spread amid active conflict and community resistance
Beni, DRC, September 18, 2018 — The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not yet under control, and has now spread to the city of Butembo, home to a million people. The city is a key trading hub with strong ties to Goma and Uganda. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is supporting 37 health facilities in five health zones including Beni, Oicha as well as Mabalako to strengthen infection control practices, and put in a system for triage, isolation, and referral of suspected Ebola cases.
Hassan Coulibaly, emergency director at the International Rescue Committee, said: “We are highly concerned about the transmission of Ebola within Butembo, the largest city in the region home almost a million people. The city is a trade hub and lies on the main road to Goma, as well as on route to Uganda. There have now been a total of five cases in the city, and there are a number more suspected. The International Rescue Committee has scaled up its response and is now working in the city.
“Although the number of new cases each day is slowing down, this Ebola outbreak is far from being under control. We must not think that this Ebola outbreak is beaten. As of 15 September, there have been 111 confirmed cases of Ebola, of which 66 have lost their lives. In addition to this there are a further 31 probable cases, who passed away with symptoms before test could confirm the diagnosis.
“There are more than 50 armed groups operating in North Kivu and insecurity continues to prevent teams from reaching those both at risk and those who have tested positive. In recent days teams have been prevented from accessing two known cases after they ran to a village controlled by an armed group. Although access was eventually granted, sadly one of the two lost their life.
“On top of this, there are rumors circulating in Beni wrongly linking the Ebola outbreak with the humanitarian community. This only underscores the need to work closely with the local community to jointly combat the disease. Safe burial practices as well as the early detection, treatment, and vaccination of known contacts of patients are vital in controlling the outbreak and keeping the community safe, and this is only possible through strong efforts to counteract these myths.”
The IRC has been working in the DRC since 1996 and is a lead humanitarian organisation in North Kivu providing healthcare, specialised services for women including reproductive healthcare and child protection services to thousand of people affected by conflict. The IRC is currently working in five of the eight health zones with active transmission to contain and control the disease by training healthcare professional to identify, isolate and refer suspected cases. Through our existing programs we are also working with local communities to raise their understanding about the disease and how to take steps to help prevent its spread.