New outbreak of Ebola kills 65 in eastern DR Congo
Africa’s top health agency, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), has declared an Ebola outbreak in the eastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, reporting around 246 cases and 65 deaths, primarily in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.
A meeting is being convened with DR Congo and neighboring countries, including Uganda and South Sudan, to prioritize response efforts and cross-border surveillance.
The outbreak, the 17th in DR Congo since the virus was first identified in 1976, poses a significant risk of further transmission due to ongoing population movement and urban settings.
Symptoms of Ebola include fever, muscle pain, and severe bleeding among others, with an average fatality rate of about 50%. Preliminary tests have confirmed the presence of the virus in 13 out of 20 samples tested.
Additional suspected cases are pending laboratory confirmation in the provincial capital of Bunia.
The Congolese government, currently under military rule since 2021, has not officially declared the outbreak, although a press conference is expected soon.
Historical context indicates that Ebola has claimed approximately 15,000 lives across Africa in the past 50 years, with DR Congo experiencing its deadliest outbreak between 2018 and 2020, resulting in nearly 2,300 fatalities.
