Algerian Radio
The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed the 2,000 mark, reaching 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to a situation report published on Tuesday by the country's health authorities.
The outbreak is currently affecting five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, and Tshopo, with Ituri remaining the epicenter of the epidemic.
A total of 366 patients have been declared recovered, while 753 individuals remain in isolation.
The report indicates that transmission remains intense in Ituri, confirming the province as the primary hotspot of the outbreak. The emergence of new cases in Haut-Uélé signals a further geographical spread, necessitating an immediate reinforcement of surveillance, diagnostic capacities, and operational readiness.
The epidemic remains in "a sustained transmission phase," characterized by a rapid increase in the number of cases since the onset of the outbreak, the report specifies.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was officially declared on May 15.
WHO Announces First Antiviral Trial for Ebola
The first clinical trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of an antiviral drug in patients exposed to the deadly Ebola strain currently affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo began on Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated.
The trial, named EBO-PEP, aims to assess the effectiveness of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) using the antiviral obeldesivir on patients who have been in contact with confirmed cases of Bundibugyo, the virus variant spreading in the DRC.
The experimental drug, administered orally and developed by an American pharmaceutical laboratory, has shown efficacy in preclinical models against viruses belonging to the broad family of filoviruses, which are responsible for hemorrhagic fevers. Clinical trials are conducted when a promising medication is tested on humans.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the launch of the trial in a social media post. "Every discovery begins with hope," he wrote.
"If this treatment proves effective in high-risk individuals post-exposure, it could represent a major breakthrough" in preventing the development of the disease among contact cases, he added.
There is currently no recognized vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo variant.
According to the latest official figures published by DRC health authorities, this rare species of the Ebola virus has infected over 1,960 people and killed more than 700.
The outbreak was declared on May 15 following several deaths in Ituri.
Cases of Ebola, which is transmitted through close contact and bodily fluids, have been detected across five provinces in the DRC, as well as in neighboring Uganda. However, over 90% of the cases continue to be reported in Ituri.
The initial patients for the obeldesivir trial are being recruited at PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) centers set up near Ebola treatment facilities managed by the NGO Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) in Bunia and Rwampara, located in the Ituri province.
The objective is to enroll nearly 1,000 participants aged 12 and older who have been in direct contact with a confirmed case within the previous five days but currently exhibit no symptoms.
Each participant will be monitored daily for 21 days, followed by a final assessment on day 42.
Earlier on Tuesday, the WHO warned that the Bundibugyo outbreak in the DRC could be at least two to four times larger than official figures suggest.
Returning from Bunia, the WHO Director of Emergency Operations, Chikwe Ihekweazu, told reporters in Geneva that the epidemic "continues to outpace response efforts."
He noted that 80% of new cases did not appear on known contact-tracing lists, originating instead from "unknown chains of transmission." He also expressed alarm that many newly reported cases involved individuals who had died before reaching a healthcare facility.
Clinical testing of two other potential treatments for patients infected with the Bundibugyo variant began in Ituri on July 2.
This separate trial evaluates the efficacy of the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir, administered both individually and in combination.
The trial is expected to last for months, potentially extending into next year, and will require over 1,000 patients to yield definitive conclusions.
