Health Journal Entry

Congo Ebola Outbreak Worsens (March 14, 2003)

The outbreak of dangerous Ebola virus in the Cuvette-Ouest region of the Republic of Congo is still going on. Since the start of the current outbreak, at least 100 people have died from the virus, according to the World Health Organization. The area is located about 400 miles (700 kilometers) north of the capital Brazzaville.

The virus has also killed large numbers of primates in the region. At least 600 gorillas have died from infection with Ebola. Health officials say the recent outbreak has spread from the eating of infected primate bushmeat. As a result, many people in the region have stopped eating primate meat and are choosing more fish, beef, and chicken.

Ebola can cause internal bleeding that is fatal in from 50% to 90% of cases depending on the strain of the disease. It is passed from person to person by infected bodily fluids. There is no known cure.

At least seventy-three people died in Congo and Gabon in the last outbreak in the region from October 2001 to February 2002. Ebola is named for a river in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the virus was discovered in 1976. In 1995, 250 people died in DRC in the worst Ebola outbreak on record.