Health officials combating the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are utilizing anonymized mobile phone data to track population movements and anticipate potential virus spread areas, as per the World Health Organization (WHO) and collaborating researchers.

This innovative approach, unprecedented in Ebola response efforts, is being employed due to the challenges in containing what the WHO has labeled as the most rapidly evolving Ebola outbreak on record. The outbreak has affected six provinces, with over 6,250 individuals infected and 3,039 fatalities since its declaration on May 15, based on the most recent government statistics.

This 17th Ebola outbreak in Congo, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, lacks approved vaccines or treatments. To proactively address the virus’s dissemination, health officials are now focusing on predicting potential outbreak locations and efficiently allocating surveillance and response resources.

Olivier Le Polain, the head of epidemiology and analytics for response at the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, emphasized the significance of understanding population movements in outbreak scenarios. Unlike traditional risk assessments that concentrate on outbreak epicenters, analyzing mobility data enables responders to identify risks in areas geographically distant but interconnected through travel patterns.

The analysis, conducted by Swedish non-profit Flowminder, leverages anonymized records generated when mobile phone users connect to telecommunication networks. With insights into how people move between different regions derived from these records, responders gain vital information for outbreak response strategies.

Despite these advancements, it is crucial to note that the analysis draws data solely from Congolese mobile networks, limiting visibility across international borders. Efforts are underway to collaborate with additional telecom operators to enhance coverage and access more comprehensive data for an improved response mechanism.