EBOLA CRISIS: 319 confirmed dead as officials warn outbreak could continue for MONTHS

The second-deadliest outbreak of the virus in history has been sweeping across eastern provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo since August, infecting 549 people, and health officials fear it will spread to neighbouring countries. Figures released on December 17 revealed that the death toll in DRC has reached 319 and the outbreak is showing no signs of letting up. An increase in commuting over the Christmas period and the ongoing armed conflict could exacerbate the situation as well as the upcoming presidential election which will see millions of voters head to the polls.

Several tonnes of hand sanitiser have been been deployed for use in polling stations which voters will be urged to squirt onto their palms before using the machines in an effort to stem the spread of the virus which is transferred via bodily fluids.

Speaking ahead of the election, which was due to be held on Sunday but has been postponed until December 30, the DRC’s health minister, Oly Ilunga, said that he has seen a “clear, clear, clear improvement” in how communities respond to containment efforts.

Although there remains a risk of confrontation each time Ebola cases are declared in a new area, Mr Ilunga said: “We can notice today that there is an acceptance, in general, an engagement in the community.”

Mr Ilunga said the country’s neighbour Uganda is the focus of “intense collaboration” with health officials there, although the country has not recorded any Ebola case.

The outbreak is concentrated in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri in eastern DRC which share a border with Uganda which is highly porous.

Thousands of families are set to make the journey across the border over Christmas for festive celebrations with family.

The outbreak comes after more than 11,000 people died after contracting Ebola in an epidemic which started in Guinea in December 2013.

The first case was reported to be a toddler who was believed to have been infected by bats.

After the disease quickly spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia, the World Health Organisation declared a it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in August 2014.

Two-and-a-half years after the first case was discovered, the outbreak was declared over, having infected 28,600 people.

Although there is no proven treatment, several drugs and jabs are being tested and a vaccine health experts experimented with protected thousands of people.