Health officials have confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern Ituri province, with 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases reported so far. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the emergency, noting most cases are concentrated in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara, with suspected infections also emerging in Bunia, Ituri's provincial capital near the Ugandan border.
Preliminary laboratory testing at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa detected the Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples analyzed. Officials identified the strain as Bundibugyo—one for which no licensed vaccine currently exists—marking a significant challenge for containment efforts. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified there in 1976.
Uganda's health ministry confirmed an imported case on Friday: a 59-year-old Congolese man who traveled from the DRC died in a Kampala hospital after testing positive. While no local Ugandan cases have been identified yet, Africa CDC has expressed concern about further regional spread due to high population movement across borders and within mining communities where people frequently travel for work.
Ebola is a severe viral illness spread through direct contact with bodily fluids—such as blood, vomit, or semen—of infected individuals or deceased victims. Symptoms begin with fever, fatigue, muscle pain, and headache, progressing to vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and internal bleeding. The average fatality rate is approximately 50%, and there is no proven cure.
Africa CDC is convening an urgent meeting with health authorities from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan, alongside the World Health Organization and pharmaceutical partners, to coordinate cross-border surveillance and response efforts. "Given the high population movement between affected areas and neighbouring countries, rapid regional coordination is essential," said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC director general.
Containment efforts face additional hurdles: Ituri province has been under military administration since 2021 to combat armed groups like the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and M23 rebels. This ongoing instability, combined with the region's tropical climate, dense rainforest coverage, and close human-animal contact (bats are considered the likely natural reservoir), creates what experts call a "perfect storm" for recurring outbreaks.
The DRC has extensive experience managing Ebola responses, but speed remains critical. "In terms of training, people already know what they can do," said Dr. Gabriel Nsakala, a public health professor involved in prior outbreaks. "Now, the expertise and equipment need to be delivered quickly."
The 2018–2020 eastern DRC outbreak remains the country's deadliest, claiming nearly 2,300 lives. Globally, Ebola has caused approximately 15,000 deaths across Africa over the past five decades.