Health officials are sounding the alarm about an Ebola outbreak in East Africa that poses a significant threat. Current projections suggest the outbreak could continue for up to a year if infection rates do not decrease.

Health workers are battling one of the most severe outbreaks in decades. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is experiencing the highest number of cases. Distrust of authorities and ongoing regional violence are complicating efforts to contain the virus.

Jean Kaseya, the director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), emphasized the gravity of the situation. He warned that if actions to control the outbreak are not taken soon, the situation could surpass the severity of past outbreaks in West Africa and eastern DRC.

The Africa CDC reports over 800 confirmed cases and nearly 200 fatalities. The most severe Ebola outbreak recorded occurred from 2014 to 2016 in West Africa, resulting in over 11,000 deaths, as per the World Health Organization (WHO).

If we don’t stop the outbreak very soon it will be worse than what we had in West Africa and eastern D.R.C., Kaseya stated during an emergency conference for African leaders.

Health officials and experts concur with Dr. Kaseya, noting that the response teams face significant hurdles. Bruno Michon, managing the Ebola response in Congo for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said, We are running after the disease.