Epidemics
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On August 1, 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo declared its 10th and largest outbreak of Ebola inflicting North Khivu and Ituri provinces. The spread of Ebola to Congolese urban centers along with deliberate attacks on the health care workers has hindered epidemiological surveillance activities, leading to substantial reporting delays. Reporting delays distort the epidemic incidence pattern misrepresenting estimates of epidemic potential and the outbreak trajectory. ⋯ Our most recent estimate of R is at 0.9 (95% CI: 0.4, 1.1) during the last generation interval. Our most recent analysis of the Ebola outbreak in DRC indicates that the Ebola virus still active although transmission is characterized by a low fluctuating reproduction number. Yet, this pattern does not imply that the epidemic can be easily controlled particularly in the context of unstable epidemiological surveillance efforts hindered by unpredictable local violence.