Ebola patient zero identified as outbreak thought to have been 'spreading unchecked' for months

There have been at least 282 confirmed cases of Ebola reported in Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) ongoing outbreak.

The country has reported more than 1,000 suspected cases with the Bundibugyo virus, the current species of Ebola, which has no approved treatment or vaccine.

This is already the third-largest outbreak of Ebola ever recorded and is suspected to have killed almost 250 people.

But it’s now thought that the infection has been ‘spreading unchecked’ for months with a ‘patient zero’ believed to have been identified.

Ebola virus disease is a serious, rare infection usually found in certain parts of Africa and includes flu-like symptoms that can appear suddenly such as a high temperature, extreme tiredness and a headache.

Those infected can get better as officials work on recoveries.

There have been more than 1,000 suspected cases including 223 deaths recorded so far. (Glody MURHABAZI / AFP via Getty Images)

Sources have told The Telegraph that local medics say the first Ebola case in the current epidemic might date back as far as January.

It’s believed the outbreak began with a patient treated at a hospital in Rwampara, a town in eastern DRC, at the beginning of the year. Medics believe the patient infected eight healthcare workers before dying in February.

If this ends up being a confirmed patient zero, then it would suggest the virus has been spreading unchecked for at least four months. That’s as it wasn’t officially confirmed by the Congolese Ministry of Health until 15 May.

Differently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had previously stated it believed the index case was a healthcare worker in Bunia who developed symptoms on 25 April before dying.

According to the health ministry, the main challenges in containing the outbreak include early detection and rapid isolation of cases, rigorous contact tracing, safe and dignified burials and strengthening infection prevention and control in health facilities.

A treatment centre has been opened. (GLODY MURHABAZI / AFP via Getty Images)

Doctors Without Borders said on Saturday (30 May) that the virus continues to spread faster than the response despite better-organised health facilities and new aid arrivals.

And on Sunday, the WHO chief said five patients had recovered from the Bundibugyo, marking the first documented recovery of a confirmed patient during this current outbreak.

Four people will be discharged today and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during the opening of a new Ebola treatment centre in Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri.

“Of course, we’re still working on vaccines and treatments but that doesn’t mean that people cannot recover from Ebola,” he added.

Last week, a person who travelled from Uganda to Austria was reported as being kept under isolation while they were tested for a possible case of Ebola to prevent it spreading to Europe.