The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said that initial laboratory tests conducted at the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa confirmed the presence of the virus in 13 of 20 samples, while more tests are being conducted to determine the strain. Of the reported deaths, there were four confirmed cases.Additional suspected cases were reported in the provincial capital, Bunia.
Health officials warned of a high risk of the disease spreading due to population movement, urban areas in affected areas and mining activity, the BBC reported. On Friday, Uganda also confirmed an imported case of Ebola linked to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Ugandan Ministry of Health said that a 59-year-old Congolese man, who was admitted to a hospital in Kampala on Monday, died on Thursday in intensive care after testing positive for Ebola.
Authorities said that no local transmission of the disease has been detected so far.Dr. Jean Cassia, executive director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said “significant population movement” between affected areas and neighboring countries makes regional coordination essential. The organization called for joint action with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and other partners to strengthen surveillance and response measures.The Congolese government has not yet officially announced the outbreak, but is expected to hold a press conference.
Consultations were also held with neighboring countries and international partners on containment strategies.The Ebola virus, which was first identified in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is believed to have originated in bats and spread through direct contact with bodily fluids. The disease causes severe bleeding and organ failure, and the average mortality rate is about 50%, according to the World Health Organization.Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and internal or external bleeding.
There is no sure cure, although supportive treatment can improve the chances of survival.Ituri Province remained volatile, with military rule imposed in 2021 amid prolonged activity by armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces linked to ISIS.The Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen 17 outbreaks of Ebola since the virus was first discovered. The country’s deadliest outbreak between 2018 and 2020 killed nearly 2,300 people, while a separate outbreak last year in Kasai province killed 45 people. About 15,000 people have died from Ebola across Africa over the past five decades.
