Ebola outbreak claims 65 lives in eastern DR Congo

Africa’s leading public health agency has declared an Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo after hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of deaths were recorded in Ituri province.

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, about 246 cases and 65 deaths have so far been reported, with the majority linked to the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara. The development has heightened concerns about the possible spread of the deadly virus across borders in Central and East Africa.

As reported by BBC News, the Africa CDC said it would hold urgent talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo, neighbouring Uganda and South Sudan, alongside international health partners, to strengthen response efforts and improve cross-border surveillance.

Ebola, first identified in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is believed to have originated from bats. This marks the country’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak.

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The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids or broken skin and can lead to severe bleeding, organ failure, and death. Early symptoms often include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and sore throat before progressing to vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, and internal bleeding.

According to the World Health Organization, Ebola has an average fatality rate of around 50%, with no fully proven cure currently available.

Laboratory tests carried out by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa confirmed the virus in 13 out of 20 samples tested following consultations with Congo’s Ministry of Health and National Public Institute. Health officials are still conducting further analysis to determine the exact strain responsible for the outbreak.

The BBC News also reported that additional suspected cases have emerged in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, although laboratory confirmation is still pending.

The Africa CDC warned that the urban nature of Bunia and Rwampara, combined with mining activities in Mongwalu, significantly increases the risk of transmission. Executive Director Dr Jean Kaseya stressed that the movement of people between affected communities and neighbouring countries makes regional cooperation critical.

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Residents in affected and high-risk areas have been urged to strictly follow health guidelines issued by national authorities to help contain the outbreak.

Although the Africa CDC has officially declared the outbreak, the Congolese government had not formally done so at the time of reporting. However, a government official told BBC News that a press conference was expected later on Friday.

The outbreak comes amid ongoing insecurity in Ituri province, which has remained under military rule since 2021 due to the activities of armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group linked to the Islamic State.

Over the past five decades, Ebola outbreaks across Africa have claimed nearly 15,000 lives. The Democratic Republic of Congo experienced its deadliest outbreak between 2018 and 2020, when close to 2,300 people died from the virus.

Last year alone, another outbreak in Kasai province resulted in 45 deaths, underlining the continued threat Ebola poses to public health systems across the continent.