Four nurses being treated for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo strain are discharged from a hospital in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after recovering, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The recoveries are occurring as suspected Ebola cases emerge outside Africa, prompting continued attention to prevention and preparedness.
WHO says that for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus, there is currently no licensed vaccine or licensed treatment. Even so, the disease can be survived with timely and good medical care, and further recoveries are expected, particularly when patients are diagnosed early. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has highlighted the importance of access to appropriate care and early detection.
Across the reports, the central points are that the discharged patients are recovering from Bundibugyo Ebola in eastern DRC, that no licensed countermeasure for this specific strain is available at present, and that ongoing suspected cases drive renewed public health vigilance beyond the African continent.
