At least 80 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo's latest Ebola outbreak in the eastern Ituri province, health authorities reported on Saturday. The announcement came as health workers intensified screening and contact tracing efforts to contain the disease.
Rapid Spread and Fatalities
Officials first announced the outbreak on Friday, reporting 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases. However, the death toll has since risen to 80. In Bunia, the capital of Ituri, residents described constant burials. 'Every day, people are dying ... and this has been going on for about a week. In a single day, we bury two, three, or even more people,' said Jean Marc Asimwe, a resident. 'At this point, we don’t really know what kind of disease it is,' he added.
Confirmed Cases and Virus Strain
Congolese Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba reported late Friday that there have been eight laboratory-confirmed cases, including four deaths. Test results confirmed the Bundibugyo virus, a less common variant of Ebola in Congo. This marks the country's 17th outbreak since Ebola first emerged there in 1976. Ebola is highly contagious through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen, and causes a severe, often fatal disease.
Index Case and Timeline
The suspected index case is a nurse who died at a hospital in Bunia, with symptoms dating back three weeks to April 24. Kamba did not confirm whether samples from the nurse were tested but noted that the person presented symptoms suggestive of Ebola.
Spread to Uganda
The outbreak has crossed into neighboring Uganda, where officials confirmed an 'imported' Ebola case on Friday. The patient died at Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Kampala on May 14. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expressed concern about further spread due to the proximity to Uganda and South Sudan. Uganda's Health Ministry stated that the patient's body was returned to Congo and no other local cases have been confirmed. On Saturday, screenings were conducted at the hospital's entrance. Ismail Kigongo, a Kampala resident, expressed fear, recalling his father's death during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regional Preparedness
Kenya, Uganda's neighbor, assessed a 'moderate risk of importation' due to regional travel and has formed an Ebola preparedness team, strengthening surveillance at all entry points.
Logistical Challenges in Congo
Congo, Africa's second-largest country by land area, faces logistical challenges in delivering expertise and supplies to affected regions. Ituri province is about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the capital Kinshasa and is plagued by violence from Islamic State-backed militants. The outbreak has been confirmed in three health zones: Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongwalu. Only 13 blood samples have been tested at the National Institute of Biomedical Research, with eight positive for the Bundibugyo strain; five could not be analyzed due to insufficient volume.
Public Response
In Bunia, businesses and public activities appeared normal on Friday. Resident Adeline Awekonimungu urged the government to take the outbreak seriously and take charge of hospitals to bring the situation under control.
