Ebola Death Toll Exceeds 400 in DR Congo; Marburg Virus Case Confirmed in Uganda

The death toll from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has surpassed 400.
In neighboring Uganda, a case of the Marburg virus, which causes Marburg virus disease—a condition similar to Ebola—has been detected during Ebola screening processes.
According to the DR Congo Ministry of Communication and Media on July 2 (local time), the cumulative number of confirmed Ebola cases reached 1,406 as of June 30, an increase of 73 from the previous day.
Of these, the number of deaths rose to 438, an increase of 39 in a single day.
Consequently, the fatality rate of the current Ebola outbreak has reached 31.2%.
While the rate had previously remained lower than the 30% to 50% range typically associated with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, it has now exceeded 30% as the number of deaths has risen.
Citing the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INSP), AFP reported that a 24-year-old pregnant woman in Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo Province, where there had previously been no confirmed cases, has tested positive for Ebola.
To date, 192 people have been declared recovered from Ebola in the DR Congo.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that a case of Marburg virus infection has been found in Uganda, which has recorded 20 confirmed Ebola cases and 2 deaths so far.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus held a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on this day and stated that the Marburg virus case was discovered during Ebola surveillance. He added, "We are monitoring all contacts and have been informed that there are no cases with symptoms yet."
Marburg virus disease, an acute febrile and hemorrhagic illness caused by the Marburg virus, is accompanied by high fever and severe headaches, and is known to have a fatality rate of up to 88%.
It can be transmitted through contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected animals, patients, or the deceased. Like the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus currently spreading, there is no commercially available treatment or vaccine.
Regarding the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, Director-General Tedros announced that clinical trials for two candidate treatments have begun in the DR Congo on this day.
He stated, "The first patient was enrolled today, and clinical trials for two treatments have begun," explaining that the trials involve the monoclonal antibody treatment MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, administered either alone or in combination.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.