As countries continue tracking recent hantavirus and norovirus outbreaks reported in different parts of the world, health authorities are now dealing with a fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern Ituri province. Eighty people have died in the outbreak, the country’s health ministry said late on Friday.
Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba Mulamba said in a statement that samples tested on Thursday had confirmed eight cases of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in the health zones of Rwampara, Mongwalu and Bunia.
Hundreds of suspected infections under investigation in Congo
So far there have been 246 suspected cases of the virus, the ministry said. The suspected index case was a nurse who died at the Evangelical Medical Centre in Bunia after showing symptoms that included fever, bleeding, vomiting and severe weakness.
The DRC government said it has activated its public health emergency operations centre, strengthened epidemiological and laboratory surveillance, and ordered the rapid deployment of response teams.
Africa CDC holds urgent talks over cross-border spread fears
Africa’s top public health agency said earlier on Friday there was a confirmed Ebola outbreak in DRC’s Ituri province, giving the death toll as 65 so far.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement it was convening an urgent meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and response efforts.
Cases reported mainly in Mongwalu, Rwampara and Bunia
It said the deaths and suspected cases had been reported mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, while four deaths were reported among laboratory-confirmed cases. Suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, the provincial capital.
The agency said initial findings suggested the presence of a non-Zaire strain of the virus, with sequencing ongoing to further characterise it.
Experts warn different Ebola strain could complicate treatment efforts
Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the Congolese virologist who co-discovered Ebola and heads the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa, told Reuters that all but one of Congo’s 16 previous outbreaks had been caused by the Zaire strain.
The identification of a different variant will complicate the response, he said, as existing treatments and vaccines were developed against the Zaire strain.
Mining activity and movement near borders increase danger of spread
“Africa CDC is concerned about the risk of further spread due to the urban context of Bunia and Rwampara” as well as “intense population movement” and mobility related to mining in the affected areas, which are close to Uganda and South Sudan, the agency added.
“Given the high population movement between affected areas and neighbouring countries, rapid regional coordination is essential,” Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said in the statement.
Uganda confirms imported Bundibugyo virus case from Congo
Uganda’s health ministry said a Congolese man had died in Kampala of the Bundibugyo virus strain. Uganda said the case was imported from Congo and that no local case had been confirmed.
The development has raised fears about possible regional spread as neighbouring countries continue increasing surveillance and emergency preparedness measures.
WHO says first confirmed positive samples came on Thursday
The World Health Organization learned of suspected cases on May 5 and dispatched a team to Ituri to help investigate, but samples collected in the field initially tested negative, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing on Friday.
A laboratory in Kinshasa confirmed positive cases on Thursday, and the total number of confirmed positive cases is now 13, Tedros said.
WHO releases emergency funds as violence worsens health crisis
The WHO has released $500,000 from its contingency fund for emergencies to support the response, including surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and clinical care, he said.
The new outbreak is unfolding against the backdrop of a deepening security crisis in Ituri, where clashes between rival militia groups have killed scores of civilians in recent weeks.
Humanitarian conditions in Ituri increase outbreak risk further
The violence has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation, leaving health facilities overwhelmed or non-functional in parts of the province, Medecins Sans Frontieres said earlier this month. The medical charity warned of catastrophic hygiene conditions in displacement sites, raising the risk of disease outbreaks.
The outbreak is the 17th in Congo since Ebola was first identified there in 1976. The country’s most recent outbreak, in Kasai province, was declared over on December 1 after three months. Out of a total of 64 cases, 45 died and 19 others recovered.
How Ebola spreads and why health agencies remain on alert
Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness that is endemic to Congo’s vast tropical forests. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials or persons who have died from the disease, the Africa CDC said.
(with inputs from Reuters)
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
