New Ebola Outbreak Kills 65 in Eastern DR Congo
Health authorities report hundreds of suspected cases as emergency response efforts intensify in Ituri Province.
- Africa CDC reports 246 Ebola cases and 65 deaths in eastern DR Congo.
- Most infections have been recorded in mining towns in Ituri Province.
- Regional authorities are strengthening surveillance and emergency response measures.
A new outbreak of Ebola has claimed at least 65 lives in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of the Congo, prompting Africa’s leading public health agency to declare an emergency in the region.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that approximately 246 cases have been recorded in Ituri Province, with the majority reported in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.
According to the agency, emergency consultations are underway involving authorities from DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and international partners to strengthen response measures and cross-border surveillance efforts.
Preliminary laboratory tests conducted at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa confirmed the presence of the Ebola virus in 13 out of 20 samples tested.
Officials said four of the reported deaths were among laboratory-confirmed cases, while additional suspected infections have also been identified in Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri, pending further confirmation.
Ebola, first identified in DR Congo in 1976, is a highly infectious disease believed to have originated from bats. It spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe bleeding, organ failure and death.
Common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, fatigue and sore throat. There is currently no known cure for the disease.
The Congolese government had not officially declared the outbreak at the time of reporting, although authorities were expected to provide updates during a scheduled press conference.
The outbreak comes amid ongoing insecurity in Ituri Province, which has been under military administration since 2021 due to persistent armed group activity.
DR Congo has experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the decades, with the deadliest occurring between 2018 and 2020 when nearly 2,300 people died. Another outbreak in Kasai Province last year claimed 45 lives.
