First Ebola Recovery amidst WHO Death Rate Warning

The first patient has successfully recovered from central Africa’s Ebola outbreak and has been discharged from the hospital, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO’s announcement follows a visit by its chief, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), where the outbreak originated. He expressed hope by saying, “we will get through this.”

So far, 906 suspected cases of Ebola have been reported in DR Congo, and 223 deaths are under investigation, WHO revealed.

The death rate among confirmed cases is alarmingly high, ranging between 30 to 50 percent, stated Anais Legand from WHO’s high-threat pathogens team. “It’s huge. It means that up to five out of 10 people are likely to die,” she said. She also mentioned that early care could help reduce the death rates.

The first recovered patient was discharged from a health center in DR Congo after receiving two negative test results.

WHO shared that testing capacity is being improved and many of the suspected cases should be processed in the coming days. This could increase the number of reported cases, which Ms. Legand sees as a sign that surveillance efforts are functioning effectively. As for whether the outbreak has peaked, she commented, “Investigations are still ongoing. I don’t think we can say that at this stage.”

The Bundibugyo strain has spread to Uganda, with reports of nine confirmed cases. Several Gulf countries have implemented travel restrictions from DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan due to the outbreak.

This strain, with no available vaccine, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. Experts are concerned about how long it went undetected in densely populated areas before spreading further.

The region is also dealing with armed conflict, complicating the response. Dr. Tedros urged fighters to declare a ceasefire, “even briefly, even just enough to let health workers through.”

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