Ebola virus behind massive outbreak in DRC could be mutating, officials say
Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are concerned that the current Ebola outbreak may be mutating due to its unprecedented severity. With over 4,000 cases recorded, the Africa CDC is escalating response efforts to include door-to-door patient identification.
Why it matters
The potential mutation of the Bundibugyo strain could complicate containment efforts and increase mortality rates in an already critical public health crisis.
Members of a Congolese Red Cross team with the coffin of a woman suspected of having died from Ebola virus in Bunia last June./Getty Images Members of a Congolese Red Cross team with the coffin of a woman suspected of having died from Ebola virus in Bunia last June./Getty Images Ebola Ebola virus behind massive outbreak in DRC could be mutating, officials say Cases have passed 4,000 and health watchdog plans to go door to door to find patients in major response escalation
Prefer the Guardian on Google The virus causing a massive outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could be mutating, health officials fear, as confirmed cases pass 4,000.
Africa’s public health watchdog said the time for incremental action was over, as they announced plans to scale up every aspect of the response and go “door to door” looking for patients.
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