DR Congo's largest Ebola outbreak on record: active conflict and armed groups hamper the response
Heather Kerr, the International Rescue Committee's Country Director for Congo, says the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is unprecedented in scale, having spread undetected for months before being correctly identified. She says the response has been hindered by delayed diagnosis, the difficulty of distinguishing this strain from other common illnesses, and the challenges of operating in an active conflict zone.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is being described as the largest on record. Heather Kerr, the International Rescue Committee's Country Director for Congo, says the outbreak spread undetected for months before it was correctly identified.
According to Kerr, the response has been hampered chiefly by delayed diagnosis, the difficulty of distinguishing this Bundibugyo strain from other common illnesses, and the immense logistical barriers of operating in an active conflict zone. The presence of armed groups in the region severely restricts access for health teams.
International aid organisations stress that improved security conditions are essential if the outbreak is to be brought under control. Kerr says teams on the ground are working to slow the spread even under current conditions, but that the conflict is significantly delaying the broader response.
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