'Ebola outbreak is brutal and painful,' says Oxfordshire expert
An Oxfam expert describes the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a brutal and distressing health crisis. With no approved vaccine for the specific Bundibugyo strain, health organizations are emphasizing sanitation and community resilience to manage the spread.
Why it matters
The report highlights the ongoing challenges of managing infectious disease outbreaks in regions with limited medical infrastructure and the critical need for rapid vaccine development.
Image source, Jo Trevor Image caption, Oxfam water security lead Jo Trevor says people in DR Congo "are working very hard to ensure that lives continue"
"It's a really brutal disease, it's quite painful and very distressing," says Oxfam water expert Jo Trevor.
She has recently been to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where there are at least 2,011 cases and 754 confirmed deaths due to an outbreak of Ebola disease.
Scientists at the University of Oxford started developing a vaccine to tackle the disease when a public health emergency was declared on 17 May.
Trevor, from Sandford on Thames, Oxfordshire, described the people in DR Congo as "really resilient" and "working hard to ensure that lives continue".
Image source, Azaria Muhongya / Oxfam Image caption, Trevor says hand washing and sanitation is "a key part of Ebola response"
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