Ebola Outbreak Claims Lives of Red Cross Volunteers in Congo

Three Red Cross volunteers lost their lives, believed to have contracted the Ebola virus while on a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) stated that these volunteers are among the first known victims of the outbreak.

The intervention occurred before the community was made aware of the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, which had not yet been identified. The deceased volunteers were Alikana Udumusi Augustin, Sezabo Katanabo, and Ajiko Chandiru Viviane. Viviane passed away on May 5, Katanabo on May 15, and Augustin on May 16.

Health workers in protective gear continue to disinfect the isolation areas for Ebola patients at hospitals in Congo. The volunteers were engaged in activities on March 27 involving dead body management, unrelated to Ebola, when they likely contracted the virus. They operated from the Mongbwalu branch of the Djugu territory in the Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to their families, loved ones, fellow volunteers, and colleagues. These volunteers lost their lives while serving their communities with courage and humanity, said the IFRC.

A health worker keeps track of visitors at Congo’s Rodolphe Mérieux Laboratory, a part of the National Biomedical Research Institute, in Goma as of May 19.

Virus Spreads to Uganda

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. The outbreak first appeared in Congo, spreading to Uganda, with 746 suspected cases and 176 deaths among suspected cases in Congo by Thursday, according to the WHO.

There have been at least 88 confirmed cases, resulting in 10 deaths, including one in Uganda. An American surgeon contracted the virus in Congo and was sent to Germany for treatment. Reportedly, there were two cases in Uganda as of Thursday.

Uganda’s Ministry of Health stated that cases had risen to five as of Sunday. Among the new cases in Uganda are a Ugandan driver who transported the first confirmed case, a health worker who cared for the first confirmed case, and a Congolese woman who entered Uganda with symptoms. They all receive treatment.

Challenges in Outbreak Control

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed serious concerns about the outbreak in Congo, stating on Friday that growing numbers of cases are challenging due to violence and insecurity hampering the response.

Regional and international organizations, including the WHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Doctors Without Borders, and the U.S. State Department, have dispatched aid and personnel to Congo. The U.S. State Department has mobilized $23 million in foreign aid to assist the effort.

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, known for causing hemorrhagic fever without approved vaccines or treatments. On May 18, the CDC issued a restriction on entry to foreign nationals recently present in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within 21 days of their arrival in the U.S.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in these areas must undergo enhanced public health screening upon entry at specified airports. The CDC reported no suspected or confirmed cases of the outbreak in the U.S. to date.