Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo

Just When You Thought You Were Safe

After two deadly outbreaks of the Ebola Virus in central Congo very close to our village of Bulape.  I finally figured out there must be a link (direct or indirect) between the deadly Ebola Virus and Extreme Poverty.

The first time it happened I thought it was by chance or that the planets had aligned in a certain pattern.  After the second time it happened in less than 18 months in the same area near Mweka in central Congo.  I dismissed chance or the planets alignment as a cause.

Personal hygiene, bushmeat, and hunters were identified as cause of the Ebola Outbreak.  In February 2009, the virus hunter, Nathan Wolfe, laid out his research (proof) and the bigger problem.  The link is video is here or you can view the video of his talk is below.  Wolfe shows that the HIV virus was present in Cameroon in 1929.   Also, he did a followup interview.  We are not safe!  Ebola is a plane flight away!

  

Virus hunter Nathan Wolfe is outwitting the next pandemic by staying two steps ahead: discovering deadly new viruses where they first emerge -- passing from animals to humans among poor subsistence hunters in Africa -- before they claim millions of lives.

Termites are Safe to Eat

 

Today, Congo's Ministry of Health declared the Ebola outbreak near Mweka is "under control".  That is, it is over for now since no new cases have been reported after the last case on January 1st.  The outbreak was diagnosed in late November.  Authorities identifed it killed about 15 people; although, many more died of similar of other causes with similar symptons.

This Ebola outbreak occurred in the same area of central Congo that had an earlier outbreak just 18 months ago.  The provincial health authorities asked the people to change their ways.  He specifically warned them not eat monkey meat and dead animals found in the forests in addition to poor hygiene.

While in Congo, I ate termites with the locals.  Thank God, termites are not on the list of banned foods.

A Child in an Ebola Isolation Ward

Isolating a person suspected of Ebola is a little more scarier than childhood Chickenpox.  But just imagine if the person suspected of having Ebola is only five years old.  Also, it is even more scarier if the doctor who is taking care of you is dressed in a white "Darth Vader" costume.

Below is a rare glimpse of life in an Ebola Isolation Ward near Mweka in central Congo.  Thanks to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for their work to contain this Ebola outbreak.

MSF: DRC ebola outbreak - images.

Mwamba Mikobi, 5, receives treatment in the ebola isolation ward that has been set up in Kampungu in the Western Kasai province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He was brought in by his father whose daughter died on December 22, 2008. She had been vomiting blood, had a fever and other indicators of hemorrhagic fever.

As her brother had been in contact with his sister and was showing some of the same signs like high fever, headache and vomiting, His father took his son to the centre on January 6. By MSF standards he is a "suspected case" and was put into the isolation unit the same day. By evening, after receiving malaria treatment (ebola signs resemble those of malaria), antibiotics and oral rehydration, he was still vomiting but had no fever.

The following day, he had no signs and two days after being placed in the isolation ward, he was discharged. Mwamba will be followed for the next 21 days, as this is the longest known ebola incubation period. In addition, all the people he has been in contact with will be monitored.

Angola Closed Its Borders for Other Reasons

Why would Angola close it borders with Congo?  POVERTY!  I think to keep the poorer Congolese out of Angola.

Many countries close their borders for economic reasons but they do not cite it as the official reason. 

WHO says no alarm over Ebola spreading to Angola | Top News | Reuters.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday there was no indication the deadly Ebola virus had crossed to Angola from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it has killed 13 people.

"The epidemic is in the province of Kasai in Western Congo. There is no evidence it has spread to Angola," Luis Sambo, WHO regional director for Africa, said after meeting with Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

"At this moment there is no reason to be alarmed."

His comments came after Angola closed part of its northeastern border with the Congo where an Ebola outbreak, in addition to killing 13 people, is believed to have infected 40 more.

Visitations Are Potentially Dangerous in the Congo

I never felt comfort about visitations in Congo.  Now, with frequent Ebola outbreaks, I feel even more uncomfortable.  I will avoid them if at all possible.

Even though, Ebola is spread through contact with blood from the infected.  But you never know who, among the living, is now a carrier of Ebola.  Deaths are not diagnosed to determine the cause.  Therefore, you never know why a person died.  Was it Ebola, malaria, or just malnutrition from plain old poverty?

Even in Bulape, there is at least one to two visitations per week of some one who I may be asked to attend.  How do you show respect and be safe, too?

Tanzania On Alert Against Ebola

Tanzania is on alert against the Ebola outbreak.  Angola closed its borders.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has NOT advised a travel ban.  Even last year when 187 people died, a travel ban was NOT established.

If Congolese's poor were more mobile, and if it was warranted, a travel ban may be prudent.  However without good private or public transportation, it is unlikely a sick person could make it to Tanzania's border.  About 125 miles away, the Angola border is closer to outbreak area.

During last year's outbreak, one person was officially "under observation" at the Bulape Hospital which is just 20 miles away from Mweka. 

  

AFP: Tanzania on Ebola alert.

Tanzania dispatched health officials to regions bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to contain a suspected Ebola outbreak, officials said.

Which is Worst, Death from Ebola or Extreme Poverty?

Congolese do not get death certificates.  So, what does it matter if they die from Ebola, Cholera, or any other causes associated with extreme poverty?

It matters to me if someone dies from a treatable and preventable disease or illness.  Lack of access to clean water, nets, nutritious food, and basic health care kills thousands of Congolese each year.  Those deaths are preventable and treatable.  I suspect that Ebola is preventable, too.    

About 50-90 percent of the people infected with Ebola eventually die.  The highly contagious Ebola causes it victims to bleed out in the final stages.  The initial stages of Ebola is very similar to other diseases such as malaria, cholera, and others which causes extreme fever and diarrhea.  Therefore, anyone with those symptoms have to be isolated and observed. 

Currently, the Congolese health officials or others are being careful to make sure deaths are properly classified or attributed.  To date, 12 people may have died from the Ebola Outbreak near Mweka just south of Bulape.  Some deaths caused by other diseases such as cholera, malaria, shigellosis were excluded from the death toll.

 

Nine Die, nearly Hundred others infected, and It's Another Outbreak

Death is so common in Congo.  So, another suspected outbreak of hemorrhagic fever like Ebola or Marburg barely made the news.  Nine persons have died which includes a newborn baby, its teenager mother and grandparents.  Also, another 92 persons are showing symptoms of the deadly fever.

 

The outbreak has not been confirmed.  Blood and stool samples were sent to testing laboratories in Kinshasa, and in Gabon and South Africa.  Immediate symptons include fever, muscle pains, headaches, vomiting, and diarrhea.  Later symptons include telltale bleeding.

 

The outbreak is located in the Mweka Health Zone in the Kasai Occidental Province of central Congo.    Mweka is just 20 miles south of Bulape, Congo Helping Hands' base of operations.

 

This current outbreak is in the same vicinity of confirmed 2007 Ebola Fever outbreak.  The 2007 outbreak killed 187 persons and infected another 264 persons.  Pictured is medical personnel in Luebo from the September to October 2007 outbreak.

 

Doctors Without Borders' (MSF) Congo Emergency Team has been deployed to the area to contain the outbreak.  The virus is easily passed to others who come in contact with fluids from an infected person.  Approximately, 90 percent of the infected die.