WHO raises Ebola alert to very high.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its risk assessment for the Ebola Bundibugyo strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo to 'very high' at the national level, fearing the potential for a pandemic outbreak.

This move comes after the WHO officially declared the outbreak of this virus strain, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment, as an international health emergency, according to Reuters on May 22.

"We are adjusting the risk assessment of the disease to 'very high' at the national level, 'high' at the regional level, and keeping it at 'low' globally," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.

Tedros said Congo currently has 82 confirmed cases and 7 deaths, in addition to 177 suspected deaths and nearly 750 other suspected cases. These numbers are expected to rise as epidemiological surveillance is expanded.

Experts have identified the Bundibugyo virus strain causing this outbreak as rare, transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated objects. There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for this virus, and the mortality rate is 25-40%.

Meanwhile, the epidemic situation in neighboring Uganda is currently "under control," with two confirmed cases being individuals returning from the affected region of Congo, one of whom has died.

"The rapid transmissibility of this virus strain is very high, extremely high, and that has completely changed the landscape of the fight against the pandemic," said Abdirahman Mahamud, Director of the WHO's Health Emergency and Alert System.

Red Cross workers disinfect the body of a person who died from Ebola at a health center in Bunia, Ituri province, Congo, on May 21. Photo: Reuters

A WHO representative stated that timely interventions implemented in Uganda, including aggressive contact tracing and the cancellation of a large gathering, have been remarkably effective in halting the virus's chain of transmission. Regarding international cases, a US citizen working in Congo has been confirmed infected and transferred to Germany for specialized treatment. Another US citizen who had high-risk contact with the infected individual has also been transferred to the Czech Republic for medical monitoring.

In an effort to find an urgent solution, WHO's Chief Scientific Officer, Sylvie Briand, said an antiviral treatment called Obeldesivir could be used for people who have been in contact with Ebola patients to prevent the risk of developing the disease.

Obeldesivir is an oral antiviral drug used in the treatment of Covid-19 that is currently in the testing phase by pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. "This is a promising treatment, but its use must still be carried out under extremely strict control procedures," Briand emphasized.

The WHO assesses that the epidemiological surveillance system has shown initial signs of effectiveness in detecting more new cases. However, the agency is struggling to keep pace with the outbreak, which may have started two months ago but was only officially declared last weekend. "We are racing against time to get this outbreak under control. Because the virus is still spreading at this point, the number of cases will certainly continue to rise for some time," said Anne Ancia, WHO representative in Congo.

The Ebola virus is believed to be transmitted from its natural host, fruit bats, to humans. After an incubation period of 2-21 days, patients suddenly develop symptoms such as fever, lethargy, and muscle pain, which rapidly progress to vomiting, diarrhea, liver failure, and kidney failure. The virus spreads rapidly in the community through direct contact (skin abrasions, mucous membranes) with the blood and bodily fluids of infected individuals, or through burial rituals involving direct contact with corpses.

On May 22, Vietnam's Ministry of Health warned of preparations for an Ebola outbreak, as the actual number of cases in Congo and Uganda was higher than reported. Previously, the agency also advised people not to panic but to self-monitor their health for 21 days if returning from affected areas.

To date, Vietnam has not recorded any cases of Ebola.

According to Reuters

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/who-nang-canh-bao-dich-ebola-len-muc-rat-cao-post311130.html