DR Congo: Ebola Kills 65 in Eastern Ituri Province, 246 Cases Reported

An Ebola outbreak has been confirmed in the eastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa). The agency reports 246 cases and 65 deaths, predominantly in the gold-mining communities of Mongwalu and Rwampara.

CDC Africa announced a forthcoming meeting involving DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, and other international partners to coordinate response efforts and cross-border surveillance measures.

Ebola History and Transmission

Ebola, first identified in DR Congo in 1976 and believed to originate from bats, is a viral disease that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids. It causes severe bleeding and organ failure, with early symptoms including fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and sore throat. No cure currently exists for the virus.

Preliminary tests conducted by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa identified the virus in 13 out of 20 samples analysed, following consultation with the DR Congo's Ministry of Health. Of the 65 reported deaths, four are among laboratory-confirmed cases. Additional suspected cases in Ituri’s provincial capital, Bunia, await laboratory confirmation.

This outbreak is the 17th recorded in DR Congo. The country's most devastating outbreak occurred between 2018 and 2020, resulting in nearly 2,300 deaths. Last year, 45 individuals died in an outbreak within the central Kasai province.

Ituri province has been under military rule since 2021, a measure intended to counter the presence of numerous armed groups, including the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which have operated in the region for years.