KINSHASA: A new Ebola outbreak in the eastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has killed 80 people, the country’s health ministry said late Friday.
Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba said laboratory tests confirmed eight cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the health zones of Rwampara, Mongwalu and Bunia.
Authorities reported 246 suspected cases so far, with the initial suspected case believed to be a nurse who died at a medical facility in Bunia after showing symptoms including fever, bleeding, vomiting and severe weakness.
The government has activated its public health emergency operations center, strengthened surveillance systems, and deployed rapid response teams to contain the outbreak.
Earlier on Friday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) confirmed an Ebola outbreak in Ituri, reporting a lower death toll of 65 at that time. It said suspected and confirmed cases were mainly concentrated in Mongwalu and Rwampara, with additional cases reported in Bunia, the provincial capital.
The agency said early findings suggest a non-Zaire strain of the virus, with sequencing still underway. Health experts warned that the variant could complicate response efforts, as existing vaccines and treatments are primarily designed for the Zaire strain.
Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said rapid regional coordination is critical due to high population movement between affected areas and neighboring countries, including Uganda and South Sudan.
The World Health Organization said it was alerted to suspected cases earlier in May and dispatched a response team. It later confirmed 13 positive cases after laboratory testing in Kinshasa and released emergency funds to support surveillance, contact tracing and treatment efforts.
Uganda’s health ministry also reported a related fatality involving a Congolese man infected with the Bundibugyo strain, saying the case was imported and no local transmission had been confirmed.
The outbreak comes as Ituri province continues to face severe insecurity due to militia clashes, which have displaced civilians and overwhelmed already fragile health facilities, worsening the risk of disease spread.
Read more, Ebola outbreak in Uganda is over says WHO
Ebola is a highly infectious and often fatal disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or infected bodies, according to health officials.
