What they say:
"The magnitude of this epidemic is at the point where it must be anticipated that it will spread outside the DRC."
– Robert Redfield, CDC director at the audience this week, by Devex
"The effort to fight the Ebola virus has undoubtedly saved lives and helped prevent the spread of this disease beyond North Kivu and Ituri. We have now reached more than 2,000 Ebola cases and the number of reported cases has increased significantly. We must redefine the answer and put communities at the center of all our efforts. "
– Nicole Fassina, coordinator of the Ebola virus disease, declaration of the Red Cross
"It is clear that the current response to fight Ebola is not working. No matter how effective the treatment is, if people do not believe it and do not understand it, they will not use it. Our teams still meet people every day who do not believe that Ebola is real. … Since the UN has strengthened its leadership, it is possible to redefine the response. "
– Corinne N'Daw, Director in the DRC, Oxfam statement
Yes, but: Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, said …
"This epidemic does not have a reset button Unfortunately, we have no choice like this, we have to learn and adapt [instead]. "
In numbers: The total number of cases since the beginning of the outbreak on August 1 reached 2,000 this week and Ryan warned at Thursday's press conference that the outbreak could still evolve, which could include a "disaster scenario" lasting up to two years – but he stressed that there were now "optimistic" changes in the trajectories …
- The confirmed cases of the last two weeks have dropped to 88 per week, which is lower than the April average of 126 cases per week.
- There is a "smaller geographical footprint", the epidemic being reduced to 75 health zones spread across 12 health zones in the DRC.
- The number of contacts of known infected persons monitored daily by health officials has increased from about 20,000 to about 15,000.
Between the lines: Jennifer Nuzzo, Senior Researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Axios that despite the recent low numbers, there were "reasons to worry" because of the large number of contact cases unknown, violence and criminal behavior targeting Ebola treatment centers and fears an impending shortage of the Ebola vaccine.
- Nuzzo agrees with Redfield that the Ebola virus will probably spread to the border: "I see absolutely no reason to think that this will not happen."
- She also expressed concern about a shortage of vaccines and recalled that WHO's recommendations to dilute the current vaccine or to add a second experimental vaccine requiring less research might prove impractical. "We need a very realistic plan to increase vaccine stocks."
Go further: Follow Axios Ebola coverage here.
