Ebola Death Toll Nears 120... WHO Begins Vaccine Development (Comprehensive)

Difficulties in Early Detection, Delayed Initial Response
Declaration of International Public Health Emergency
U.S. Embassy in Uganda Suspends Visa Services

Ebola is rapidly spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Uganda, with deaths nearing 120. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international public health emergency and launched an urgent response.

On the 18th (local time), a health worker at the Congo-Rwanda border checkpoint is measuring the body temperature of travelers to check for Ebola infection. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

According to the Associated Press and other sources on the 18th (local time), more than 300 suspected Ebola cases have been reported so far in DR Congo, with over 118 deaths. However, local health authorities stated that not all patients have been officially diagnosed due to a shortage of testing samples.

An American doctor working in DR Congo has also been infected. The missionary group Surge Global reported that Dr. Peter Stafford was exposed to the virus while treating patients at Nyankunde Hospital.

The main outbreak areas are Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongbwalu in Ituri Province, northeastern DR Congo, near the border with Uganda and South Sudan. Cases have also been reported in Goma, North Kivu Province, which is controlled by the M23 rebel group. In neighboring Uganda, two Congolese nationals have tested positive, and one of them has died.

Health workers are measuring the body temperature of local travelers and residents to check for Ebola infection. Photo by AFP Yonhap News.

The virus identified in this outbreak is the "Bundibugyo" strain of Ebola. This variant was first discovered in Uganda in 2007 and has a fatality rate of 30 to 50 percent. While its fatality rate is lower than that of the most well-known Zaire strain, there are currently no vaccines or treatments available, meaning authorities must rely on containment measures and symptomatic care.

Early symptoms closely resemble those of influenza or malaria, making early detection difficult. In addition, some residents reportedly viewed the disease as a "spiritual illness" rather than a medical one, seeking help at religious facilities, which delayed initial response efforts.

The WHO has belatedly begun vaccine development. The WHO advisory group is scheduled to meet on the 19th to select priority vaccine candidates for clinical trials.

Neighboring countries are also tightening border controls and quarantine measures. Rwanda has closed its land border with DR Congo, while Burundi and Tanzania have strengthened their surveillance systems and border quarantine. South Africa, which does not share a border with DR Congo, has raised quarantine levels at airports and seaports. Germany has updated its travel advisories. The U.S. Embassy in Uganda has suspended all visa services in the country to help prevent the spread of Ebola.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.