Africa’s top public health body has confirmed an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reports around 246 cases and 65 deaths, mostly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara. A meeting with DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, and other partners is being arranged to coordinate response efforts and cross-border surveillance.
Ebola, first identified in what is now DRC in 1976 and believed to originate from bats, marks its 17th outbreak in the country. The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, causing severe bleeding and organ failure. Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, and fatigue, progressing to vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding. No proven cure exists; the average fatality rate is about 50%.
Preliminary tests in Kinshasa confirmed the virus in 13 of 20 samples. Authorities are working to identify the strain. Concerns remain high due to urban settings like Rwampara and Bunia, plus mining activities in Mongwalu. Regional coordination is vital because of significant population movement. The Congolese government has yet to officially declare the outbreak. Ituri has been under military rule since 2021. Across Africa, Ebola has claimed roughly 15,000 lives in 50 years. DRC’s deadliest outbreak (2018–2020) killed nearly 2,300 people; 45 died in a 2022 outbreak in Kasai province.
