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KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Africa’s top public health body on Friday confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s remote Ituri province, with 246 suspected cases
and 65 deaths recorded so far. Neighboring Uganda later confirmed one death in an Ebola case it said was imported from Congo.
The deaths and suspected cases have been recorded mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement. The agency noted that 65 deaths have been attributed to the outbreak, with four of those confirmed in a laboratory.Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen. The disease it causes is rare but severe and often fatal.
Scientists are currently investigating the specific virus responsible for the outbreak in Congo. While the Ebola Zaire strain has been prominent in previous outbreaks, early results suggest that a variant other than the Ebola Zaire strain may be involved, with sequencing efforts ongoing to clarify the situation, according to the Africa CDC.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that Ebola disease is caused by a group of viruses, with three known to cause large outbreaks: the Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus.
On Friday, Uganda reported one Ebola case involving a Congolese man who had been admitted to a hospital in Kampala three days before he died. Officials labeled the case as 'imported' from Congo, with no local cases confirmed in Uganda.
Uganda’s Health Ministry stated that the patient was tested posthumously on Friday after Congo confirmed its Ebola outbreak. All contacts linked to the man have been quarantined, and the deceased’s body has been returned to Congo.
The ministry confirmed that the individual was infected with the Bundibugyo virus, a variant of the illness that has been endemic in Uganda.
The WHO indicated last year that Congo possesses a stockpile of treatments and approximately 2,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine. This vaccine is effective against the Ebola Zaire strain but not against the Sudan virus or Bundibugyo virus, according to health authorities.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, informed reporters that the WHO dispatched a team to assist Congo in investigating the outbreak and collecting samples. He mentioned that while initial results did not confirm Ebola, a new analysis on Thursday did.
Congo has a strong history of responding to and controlling Ebola outbreaks, Dr. Tedros noted, adding that the WHO is releasing $500,000 to support Congo’s response efforts.
This outbreak arises approximately five months after Congo's previous Ebola outbreak was declared over, which resulted in 43 deaths.
Ituri is situated in a remote eastern part of Congo, characterized by poor road networks and located more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nation’s capital, Kinshasa.
The Africa CDC expressed concern over the risk of further spread due to significant population movement, mining-related mobility in Mongwalu, insecurity in affected areas, and challenges in contact tracing and control.
The proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan also heightens concerns, according to the agency.
In response, the agency convened an urgent coordination meeting on Friday with health authorities from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, alongside key partners, including U.N. agencies and other nations.
Jay Bhattacharya, acting head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, remarked that U.S. health officials are in contact with their counterparts in Congo and Uganda, expressing readiness to provide necessary support.
This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak in Congo since the disease first emerged in the country in 1976. An outbreak from 2018 to 2020 in eastern Congo resulted in over 1,000 fatalities, characterized by the Ebola Zaire strain.
Earlier, an outbreak that spread across West Africa from 2014 to 2016 claimed more than 11,000 lives.
The new outbreak raises additional concerns for Congo, which is already dealing with various armed groups in the east and faces logistical challenges. During last year’s outbreak, the WHO encountered significant difficulties in delivering vaccines due to limited access.
Dr. Gabriel Nsakala, a public health professor involved in previous Ebola outbreak responses in Congo, emphasized that the country and its health workers possess a high level of experience and existing infrastructure, including laboratories.
“In terms of training, people already know what they can do. Now, the expertise and equipment need to be delivered quickly,” Dr. Nsakala stated.
With inputs from AP.
