Ebola Cases in DR Congo Rise to 513 as Death Toll Hits 131

By Maryanne Awuya

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) says the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country has resulted in 513 suspected cases and 131 deaths across affected communities.

The Congolese Minister of Health, Samuel Roger Kamba, disclosed this on Monday while providing an update on the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in Ituri Province.

Kamba explained that not all the deaths recorded had been confirmed as Ebola-related, noting that investigations were still ongoing.

“These are suspected deaths, and investigations are underway to determine which ones are actually linked to the disease,” he said.

According to him, six areas, including Mongbwalu and Rwampara, have now been officially affected by the outbreak and are regarded as epicentres of the disease in Ituri Province, alongside Bunia and Nyankunde.

The virus has also spread to Butembo-Katwa and Goma in North Kivu Province.

Kamba explains that the delayed detection of the outbreak to local beliefs and misconceptions surrounding the disease.

“The alert was delayed in the community because there was a belief that it was a mystical disease, and this caused the disease to spread,” he said.

He noted that neighbouring Uganda, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) confirmed two Ebola cases and one death in Kampala.

Persecondnews reports that the Congolese Ministry of Health declared the outbreak on May 15, making it the country’s seventeenth Ebola outbreak since 1976.

Authorities said genomic sequencing identified the virus as the Bundibugyo variant, a strain genetically distinct from the Ebola outbreaks recorded in 2007 and 2012.

The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) said the strain originated directly from an animal reservoir.

Health officials also confirmed that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo variant.

Persecondnews recalls that on Sunday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), while Africa CDC on Monday announced a continental public health emergency the first such declaration for an Ebola outbreak.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said it is closely monitoring the Ebola outbreak in both DRC and Uganda.

Persecondnews recalls that Congo earlier recorded 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths in Ituri Province, with Africa CDC confirming the outbreak on Friday after laboratory tests in Kinshasa detected the Ebola virus in 13 out of 20 samples analysed.